Shameless Begging

We're not going anywhere this Christmas. Cook has no vacation for the first six months of his job, and we're ready to have a leisurely holiday at home.

Since we're not coming to your house, you're probably thinking "Oh, no! How will I celebrate the holiday with those adorable children if I can't be with them!"

Don't worry! I have your answer. I just bought two reusable advent calendars for The Adorable Children.* While I am more than happy to locate and create very small things to put into the little drawers (I love very small things), I'm angling for something that'll be more fun and, you know, meaningful. I would love for the girls to get messages from friends and family as part of their holiday season, rather than spend a month just anticipating a giant heap of LOOT.

So I am inviting you, over the next two months, to consider sending us a very small thing that will fit into one of these drawers (2x2x3' maximum size). I'm thinking a note (Dutch can READ, after all, and loves loves loves to be written to) or a drawing of a robot, or a coin from the country you just visited (you're so cool!) or the koala stickers some wildlife nonprofit sent you, or whatever.** If you want to send me a special note for Dutch*** by email, I'll even print it out and put it in a drawer for you. In exchange, I promise you a handwritten thank-you note. It may take until March (or next October) to get it sent, but it'll happen.

Happy intro to the very long holiday season!

*I've been coveting wooden advent calendars for the girls since we visited one of my most distant but beloved friends two years ago and saw hers. The ones I got for Dutch and Skipper are nowhere near as awesome, but they'll do.

**Or nothing - I'll be making this ask every fall for years, after all, so you have time.

***This year it's mostly just for Dutch. Skipper really only likes funny hats and permanent markers right now, and they don't fit in tiny drawers, so she'll probably get sticks and gum wrappers and bits of toast in her calendar, and be delighted.