Our Quiet Christmas, Full of Love and Snacks

 When things get difficult, wrap yourself with the love of the people who love you. Even if those people are suffering just as badly as you, it's better to suffer together than to suffer alone. 

Clover's Final Christmas

Our cat Clover was diagnosed with Lung Cancer just a few days after Thanksgiving, and we lost her on December 13. After her diagnosis, the vet gave her just a few days. I had a hole in my heart, and I told Hubby that I didn't even want to put up anything for Christmas - no tree, no candles, nothing. I wasn't feeling all that jolly. I sat with that idea for a day or so, but I knew that Clover truly loved Christmas, all the colors and flickering lights and cozy blankets and pillows to lay upon, and Hubby talked me into giving her one more bright and cozy Christmas before she left. She ended up spending the majority of her time laying on the shelf facing the tree, just content to look at the tree.  

After she passed, I thanked Hubby for talking me into decorating for Christmas, and both of us kind of realized that Christmas was less than two weeks away and neither one of us had done any shopping. I told him that I'd think of something, and that we just shouldn't do presents; he thought that was a good idea. We'd have a very quiet, reflective Christmas Eve, maybe just snuggle in bed all day watching Christmas movies and being supportive of each other when we randomly started to cry because we remembered something silly that Clover would do. 

But this got me going, and me being me, I started having some ideas in my head, playing off another idea that I'd already had for Mom's gift. I mean, if you were planning on staying in bed all day, wouldn't you want some snacks? So, what if I made each of us a little gift bag of our favorite snacks? Maybe our favorite drinks, too? And for a few days, I sat on that idea, nursing it, letting it grow. I tried to think of what is most favorite snacks are and where I could get them, or where to find some specific item. 

And then I went balls to the wall, lol. Because if you're gonna do it, you better do it BIG. 

I popped into Dollar Tree and picked up a few different containers to hold the snacks, and some supplies to wrap the basket. I picked up a few different options, but The Bucket ended up being what I needed! I used a piece of tape to hang a large Dollar Tree ornament on the outside of the bucket, to spruce it up a little bit. 

$2.50 for a 3-4 gallon bucket and decor

I went over to Hobby Lobby for other supplies (I was doing this idea for mom's gift, too; I'll share her basket at the bottom). I went to the grocery store. I went to Rural King for bottles of root beer. I hit up Circle K for giant Christmas Tree cakes and his favorite flavor of Mtn Dew. I went to Dollar General for a specific candy that I like, and another that Mom likes. I did a Wal-Mart grocery pick up for way too many more snacks. I even ordered more snacks online to be delivered, when I couldn't find them online! I'm sure I have receipts somewhere, but I must have spent $200 on these three baskets! 

Behold the immense pile of snacks!!!!

His Basket

Holy moly! Let's see if I can capture everything shown in that photo! Frito-Lay chips variety pack, Pringles, Famous Amos Cookies, Planter's Peanuts, Nabisco variety pack, Wonderful Pistachios, Emerald Cashews, Utz Snowballs, Ghirardelli Minis, Drake Devil Dogs, Giant Hershey Bars, Hershey Candy Cane Kisses, York Peppermint Patties, Banana Laffy Taffy, Cow Tales, Tootsie Rolls, Andes Mints, cookie cups, Combos, Cheetos variety pack (specifically to get the Snowflake-shaped puffs), Combos, Milk Duds, Sprecher's and Frostie Root Beer, Purple Thunder Mtn Dew, Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, Hershey Kisses, Special Dark Kisses, Reese Thins, Hershey Hugs, Baby Ruth, Cinnamon Mentos, Milky Way Midnight, Golden Double Stuf Oreos, Nutter Butters, Powdered Donuts, Beef Jerky, and Rolos!

I proceeded to fill this bucket to the brim, almost overflowing! Heavy stuff (like bottles of root beer) on the bottom, and lighter stuff (like chips) on top. At first, I thought I was going to need filler (like crumpled up paper) at the bottom, but nope... this girl is stuffed from bottom to top! And once all the big stuff was in there, I sprinkled individual candies (like Kisses) across the top.

My Basket

I left them on the dining room table and just covered them with a blanket for the next day or so, because there was nowhere else to put them! I certainly couldn't put them under our tiny table tree, and since they were pretty see-through, I didn't want him peeping. 

So, Christmas Eve night comes around, and I ask him if we should do gifts tonight or tomorrow. He exclaimed we said we weren't gonna do presents! and I reminded him that I said I was going to come up with something. We decided to do them then, and I brought them over. I explained why I made them, we had a good little cry, and then bless his heart, he said... Go get your stocking. 

Huh? We said no presents!

This man, I swear. I love him dearly. Inside my stocking, I found two rolls of Rolos and a box of Milk Duds! 

His basket turned out better,
mine needed more cellophane overwrap

He said that he couldn't bear to let Christmas go by without getting me something. Because he loved me. 

We left our snack buckets (lol) on the table, cleaned up the house, and went to bed. We were able to sleep in and snuggle on Christmas Day (no toddlers to stare me awake anymore), until it was time to get up and start cooking. Mom came up around 11am for the day. She got both of us fuzzy jammies and some candy and a gift card. We gave her her Goodie Box, and she loved it! I had reached out to her sister and asked her to give me some ideas of what mom really loved to snack on, or what things she puts off buying because they're too expensive, or extravagant, or can't find. Mom's gift idea was borne out of the idea of treating her to an expensive type of protein shake she likes (about $5 a bottle), and I built the gift around that idea.

There's so much more in there than you can imagine!

Her basket included delicious treats like Bel-Vita, Orville Redenbacher Pour-Over popcorn, Drake's Devil Dogs, Emerald Cashews, Core Power Protein Shakes, Necco Wafers, Good & Plenty, Reese Big Cups, Pepperidge Farms Chessmen, a Whitman's Sampler (family tradition), Candy Cane Kisses, York Peppermint Patties, Ghirardelli Minis, and Diet Coke. All in a sturdy box from Hobby Lobby that can be reused (seriously, don't sleep on Hobby Lobby structured boxes!) 

Her oooohs and aaaahs when she looked at all the goodies made my heart grow two sizes... It's rare when I can surprise her with a really good gift anymore, so this was a big win! I'm sure she went home and shared it with her sister (they're roommates), and it'd be well-deserved, since she was so helpful for me. 

We had a great afternoon full of delicious food and fellowship, and I was sad when it was time for her to go home, because the house always feels a little quieter when guests leave, and now, with no kiddo and no kitty, it felt much quieter and much emptier. For the rest of the night, we relaxed in our own spaces, nibbling on leftover ham and candy and cookies and chips. 

It wasn't the best Christmas I've ever had, but it was the Christmas I needed, I think. I felt embraced and loved, both by my husband, and also by my mother just with her presence. My home felt warm and full of love, right when I needed it most.