Christmas in July

And my 50th post!

I received my first Christmas present at the age of 28, eight years ago. My dear friend Erin and I had met earlier that year at a memoir writing course at the local community college. We had kept in touch after the completion of the course and by the time Christmas arrived that year we were good friends. She had been to dinner at our apartment a couple of times and had noticed we didn’t have any cloth napkins or napkin rings.
I, of course, knew about them but did not realize their importance in American table etiquette. I was used to the ‘eating with your hands and washing them under the tap’ kind of etiquette. But that cold, December morning when I opened Erin’s carefully wrapped box, I was delighted to find four pretty Moroccan napkin rings and four maroon cotton napkins to put them in.


I don’t get a lot of occasion to use them (maybe three or four times a year) but I cherish them with all my heart. They are not only pretty but the thoughtfulness behind them is so characteristic of Erin. She has since then always given the most thoughtful presents not only to me but to my son with whom she has a special bond. I only hope the presents I give her every year for her birthday are as thoughtful.

Erin’s birthday, incidentally, comes in July and this time round I think I found the perfect present for her. While waiting for a friend in nearby downtown Main Street, I came across a cute little shop whose owner made custom necklaces and pendants. I came across a silver leaf pendant that said “I belong to Erin.” The shop owner strung a wire on the pendant and put it in a pretty little silver box.
My 50th post along with the pendant goes to Erin. Wishing you a happy birthday Erin and hoping the rest of the year turns out as great as the first half.