Post Christmas

Well, another year of mass consumerism American-style has just thrown up all over itself all over our living room. There are piles of boxes, paper, and you-name-it-it's-on-our-living room-floor for me to clean up sometime between now and Epiphany. We don't even ask for anything and the California relatives deem it necessary to come into our home with arm loads of useless crap made in China to clutter up our already over-stuffed house. I wish they would understand that the best gifts are those that are hand-made and come from the heart (see my Chia Pet blog for further understanding). In other words, the gifts we receive that come from the giver's inner artist are the ones we cherish most.

Truly.

We're not just saying this to be politically correct. The hand-crafted ceramic items we've received from neighbors, and the stunning photos proudly displayed on our walls photographed by our friends from England are the items we hold in the highest esteem. They actually TOOK THE TIME to create something beautiful for our enjoyment. This isn't mass produced Wal-Mart crap. This is honest-to-goodness-one-of-a-kind artistry that actually speaks to the person looking at it. It sounds something of an oxymoron to have a piece of art 'speak' to a person 'looking' at it, but if you have soul you'll understand this concept perfectly. If you don't understand it, I pity you.