I signed up last minute for the t-shirt exchange because I really don’t need any more t-shirts, but I’m so glad I did. Right after matching, my Santa contacted me and asked for photos of my cats. I have lots of photos of the cats, but I decided to take new ones (along with sending a few older ones). The kitties weren’t thrilled, but they posed for treats. Very soon after, I got a message saying the packages would be arriving separately, but to wait to open them all at once because the image they used was the same.

On Tuesday, all five packages finally arrived. Nimbus saw the stack and decided to investigate. The first package I opened held the cutest gray t-shirt ever. All my cats are gray…and they’re also on the shirt in an Alice in Wonderland background. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Nimbus thought I’d adopted more cats. The second package produced another shirt with my cats as shop owners. Ok, maybe they didn’t own the shops, but they looked like they did. Nimbus liked that one too. She couldn’t stop staring. Then I opened a set of coasters with the same picture. The huge envelope held a pillow. I hadn’t mentioned I have a collection of pillows that I swap out on the couch throughout the year. Again, Nimbus was intrigued. Next up, a fuzzy blanket to keep me warm. Nimbus loves fluffy blankets, so I’m sure she’ll steal this one. The picture of her on the blanket is bigger than real life and she didn’t want to get too close.

The last box was filled with things for the cats for being such good models. Nimbus loved the packaging too. A second box was inside that Santa had decorated with drawings of my cats getting along. The likenesses are amazing. Nimbus’s tail is really that fluffy! The decorated package was filled with cat treats and catnip cat toys. Pippin and Nimbus dug into everything immediately, even tried to chew through the metal tin of Stinkies Catnip Sardines. Nimbus was also really interested in the postcard sent by Santa’s pup, SadieMiki.

An added bonus was a well-timed, perfect card. Santa put my cats in front of a hobbit hole and added the quote, “Don’t adventures ever have an end?" "I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on.” Thank you Santa! You made my year.