It's so Nice to be Pampered (and I don't mean the diapers!)

Every year on the first Saturday in December, Maureen invites my crazy quilt group to her house to celebrate Christmas.

For me, her gathering is a time-out from the treadmill that has become my annual December Christmas marathon that starts with the gunshot of the Thanksgiving plates being cleared away.

Maureen with Susan's valentine

All the hurriedness drops away when I enter Maureen's door.

She greets me with a bear hug and with pots of tea covered in Christmas cozies...she feeds me a healthy, vegetarian lunch insisting that we rest...that we not bring anything or lift a finger to help...and she laughs and she smiles and hands each one of us a door prize for coming. And I can just tell by the presentation, that she honors each one of us in this group. A "thank you for coming", a "I really appreciate you as my friend", a "big, warm wish for a year of stitching something beautiful"...

And I leave Maureen's house renewed and refreshed to manage the sprint toward Christmas day.

The fact that we exchange ornaments is icing on the cake. All the ornaments are wrapped in plain white tissue and then chosen blindly.

Maureen received my ornament which you could see above. And Maureen made this amazing purse for Helen...

Helen with Maureen's purse

I loved this purse...and it even has a chain which you can see in the last pic.

And Helen, in turn, made this tinsel-bound heart for Bobbi...

Bobbi with Helen's heart

Helen's only been crazy quilting for about a year and boy, is she a quick study...! I love that tinsel edge!

And me. I was the lucky recipient of this singing angel made by Bobbi -- I named her Gloria. Last year, I received a jointed bear made by Bobbi which I adore. She always manages to do something very unique and figural.

Bobbi's angel for Susan

I love her silver hair....her wings...her music...

And her tiny silver needlelace shoes...

And the fact that she remembered to wear her slip. No proper angel forgets to wear her slip...

So many of you have said it. We're lucky to have each other.

We're lucky to gather and to share and to care for each other.

And I'm lucky that Maureen reminds me every year what Christmas is all about.

Thanks to you all...even if you couldn't come to Maureen's. I value our gathering and sharing and caring through your blogs more than you know.