I wasn't expecting the box the other day, but there it was when I got home from work. What a pleasant surprise! Inside, I was delighted to find several wrapped gifts - each better than the last.

The first was a New Mexico coffee mug (my SS's home state). She didn't know it, but I am absolutely smitten by New Mexico and I collect coffee mugs!

The second gift was a felted squirrel, stitched together to look like taxidermy. Taxidermy is one of my strange loves! What a cute addition to my collection this little guy will make :)

I'm still awed by the third item in the box. It was a basic sketch book - but the first 10 pages had been customized by my Secret Santa to turn me into an artist! Each page was beautifully hand-drawn and colored by my amazingly talented SS to be a beginner's guide to art - from terminology to faces to cartoons to drawing exercises. The final page contained a stunning drawing of the mountains outside Albuquerque. I had said in my profile that I would love to learn something artsy... and my SS set out to get me started.

I am so touched by the thoughtfulness of my SS. It's heartwarming to have someone clearly put in so much time and effort into a stranger. Each gift my SS sent was absolutely beautiful and heartfelt. I felt like she knew me. Thank you Lydia -- you made my Christmas :)