Remember when you were little and someone sent you a surprise in the mail?  Can you recall how totally awesome and exciting it was to have a package with YOUR name on it?  I recently discovered those feelings are the same in your early thirties.  I arrived home a few days ago, weary from work and ready to melt onto my sofa, when I saw a pretty red box with yellow birds sitting on the kitchen table.  It had MY name on it.

Excitedly I got the scissors, the days struggles forgotten, carefully cut the tape and discovered a darling Christmas card.  Showing how utterly mature I’ve become, I read the entire card before opening the gift inside.

Is this card not great?

Cute!

      Opening the gift I abandoned all my recently acquired maturity and shrieked with delight!  I was given not one but TWO new Moomin coffee cups!  These darling mugs traveled all the way from Finland, carefully packed by my host mother, Katja.  I got my first two Moomin mugs there 14 years ago and they have been my favorite ever since that time.  I even wrote a blog about them on National Coffee Day.  I can not count the times I have thought “Man, I wish I had more Moomin’s”.  Not only do they evoke good memories of my travels abroad, they are the perfect size for my hands, the characters make me smile and….well.  I just love them.

So thank you Katja, thank you for taking me into your home all those years ago, thank you for the beautiful card and thank you for making me shriek with delight.  You warmed my heart and made my Christmas truly special.

🙂

And here they are, are they not adorable?!

 And here I am, enjoying my first cup of coffee in my brand new cup.

 Have a great day everyone!

And if you really want to delight someone, send them a package.

You will be awesome.