Fridays are Golden

Ellie loved her soft stuffed toys.  She played and played with them.  Her favorite by far was a little yellow duck which she carried around wherever she went.  She would keep it next to her and took it from room to room.  The following photograph is the last one of Ellie and her beloved little duck.  That Christmas she discovered that soft toys always have a weak spot.  She quickly destroyed the soft toys she got for Christmas that year.  Then she systematically destroyed every single soft toy she had.  It was probably her best Christmas ever and she was so proud of herself.  Other than the occasional gift from friends, no stuffed toys have been around since then.

Ellie and the little yellow duck.

Fast forward to 2010.  We have a variety of little stuffed toys that were often left in stockings.  They aren't good enough for real decorations, so we put them in and on an antique chair we have.  They are there not so much for display, but because we'd prefer not to have anyone sit in the chair.

A Lucy van Pelt doll had been sitting on the top of the chair.  The other day I noticed she had fallen off and told myself that I needed to pick her up when I came back into the room.  That was the last I thought of Lucy.

Lucy had been sitting on top next to the reindeer.

Shortly thereafter, my husband went to his study.  There sat Ellie, happily chewing the muff off the Christmas Lucy!  She must have picked her up and couldn't believe her good fortune.  Someone had left her a soft toy at last!  I do so wish we had a picture of Ellie enjoying her unexpected treat.  My husband said she did not look at all guilty, so she apparently had no idea the toy in the floor wasn't meant for her.  He took the toy away and put it up.

Here's what poor Lucy looked like.  Ellie had just begun.  She had pulled off the muff and was working on the stuffing.  In hindsight, we probably should have let her enjoy herself and destroy the whole thing.

But she seems happy enough with the blue tug.

For those of you who celebrate Christmas this will be an exciting week.  In reading various blogs this month I am struck with the fact that some people are excited silly about decorating and celebrating.  Others, many of whom have suffered losses this year, feel almost guilty because they haven't caught the "Christmas Spirit."  They haven't done much decorating and feel bad that they haven't.  To these blogger buddies, I say, "THAT'S FINE!  You don't have to decorate.  Christmas isn't about decorations."  Someone once said "It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air."  And I believe that is true.  Sometime during the season, you will indeed feel Christmas in your heart...and that's what it's all about.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE!