Wow. I was speechless when I opened this package today. I was bummed that I missed the delivery yesterday and had to wait until today to pick it up from the post office - but boy was it worth the wait!

My Santa went above and beyond. This will be a long post, and I'm not even sure where to begin! I'll start by how I pulled things out of the package:

First off, I received a very thoughtful tea towel with native flowers of New Zealand. My Santa knows that I love plants and gardening, so that was awesome. I'll probably not use it, but hang it on the wall instead! It's too cool.

Next, I got an extremely moving book of photography that showed the aftermath and first steps towards recovery of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. I felt such a sense of awe and sadness looking through this book. However, I thought it was a wonderful way to show her hometown, and it definitely gave me a sense of the strength and resilience of Christchurch's people.

Following the book, I got many wonderful postcards - several of them had notes written on the back explaining the significance of each gift.

Next - CANDY. So many strange and delightful looking sweets. All of which are from New Zealand and were described deliciously by my Santa. I can't wait to try each one and possibly slip into a diabetic coma.

I also got some "touristy" items (as my Santa described them), including New Zealand playing cards, adorable stickers, a gigantic Christchurch keychain, beautiful magnetic bookmarks, and an adorable nail file. The nail file was especially sweet, since my Santa and I share I love for nail polish.

Last and most definitely not least... my FAVORITE ITEM. A handmade pendant, with an amazing story behind it. This pendant is made from fine silver, and includes a piece of brick from a Christchurch building that was damaged in the 2011 earthquake (a piece she personally gathered from a building that she knew). I'm touched and honored that my Santa would handmake something for me, and especially blown away that she would include such a piece of her hometown's history. I love it, and can't wait to get a chain for it so I can wear it all the time.

I can't thank you enough, Santa. Tomorrow is my birthday, and this is the best birthday present I could have imagined. I appreciate the thoughtfulness and personality of each of these items.

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. And if I'm ever in Christchurch, I owe you a beer (or six)!