Sorry everyone but game over. I won the Luck of the Irish Secret Santa Sweepstakes. Your Santa may be all that and a bag of fish and chips but MY Santa is the bestest EVER, bar none. I mean, just look at that mailing box for starters. Rainbows and shamrocks and stripes, oh my. And it only got better. The lovely card nested atop tricolor tissue paper made me smile even before I opened it and it hinted at good things to come. Then I peeled back the paper and giggled with delight. Maybe I even chortled. Yeah, ok. There was definite chortling. Such treasure! A veritable pot of gold in a box! Sparkly shamrock stickers, a mini Irish flag, a mini garden to attract bees (you can’t spell “Erin go bragh” without a bee, you know), two pairs of Irish themed socks (“Magically Delicious” and “Whiskey Business”) that will warm my feet much the same as my Santa has warmed my heart, a “Lucky” green can cozy, and a green water bottle so I can rehydrate after celebratory libations. I’m giddy here! But there are two more items, standouts because they show my Santa’s sense of humor and her sweetness. I’d asked her to share her favorite Irish snack and she came through with a box of that quintessential Irish foodstuff, and a guilty pleasure snack fave of mine, Lucky Charms cereal. With unicorn marshmallows! This came with a bonus ear worm because I’ve had the Irish Rovers’ song “The Unicorn” in my head ever since. But what really melted my heart was the tiny shamrock my Santa stitched for me because she noted from my posting history that I cross stitch. I’d taken it up again late last year after about a decade away from it and it’s been lovely rediscovering the zen of working with needle and floss to make gifts for friends and family. So I really love that my Santa took the time to stitch something for me.

Thank you so very much, Santa! May your kindness and creativity come back to you a thousandfold.