I have a lot of STUFF. Too much, if I’m completely honest. I could have a year long yard sale and still have stuff I think. My friend Laquita says she will never buy me any more “things” for presents because I have too much stuff already. Here’s my problem: I love my stuff. It all means something and I can’t seem to throw it all away. This is some of my favorite Christmas stuff.
My library:
I actually keep it out all year, even thought it has wreaths and Christmas greenery on it. My library was a gift my from my friends Mr. Al and Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Smith and I worked together for 14 years before she left me and retired. The day I got my email telling me I was selected for Project LEAD at FSU, Mrs. Smith was the first person I told. I went running down the hallway at our school, yelling. I (Luckily, it was nearly 5:00 and no one else was there.) I used her phone to call my sisters, because mine was dead! It was a Wednesday and on Thursday, she and Mr. Al took me to dinner to celebrate. Mr. Al brought me a gift from the both of them. He brought me my library and my first FSU item – a little make up bag. I don’t think any of us realized it would be my only library, even after all this time!!
My next favorite Christmas “thing” is the little wooden ornament that I call “Butt Boy.” I just love him. . .
Years ago, when I was a little girl, my mom painted a set of wooden ornaments for our tree. He is one of them. I love his little candle and his little footy pajamas. She let us paint some too, but I was so little mine is a terrible mess. I painted a horribly ugly orange teddy bear, I have it too, but I don’t hang it up. I always loved this one the best. These ornaments are double sided- the other side is different. 
See why his name is “Butt Boy?” When we were little, we were VERY sheltered. This was the naughtiest thing we ever saw. We always decorated our Christmas tree the day we got home from school, the last day before Christmas break. My oldest sister always made us divide up the ornaments evenly, we each chose one and went around and around until all the ornaments were divvied up. I always tried to grab Butt Boy first. When my mom died, we each got some of her Christmas ornament. Butt Boy was the first one I grabbed.
I love my Butt Boy and my library. Butt Boy doesn’t necessarily match the rest of my Christmas tree. I keep my library out all year round. It’s stuff. I have lots of other stuff. I have my mother’s punch bowl and the 18 or so punch cups that came with it (minus the ones I probably broke when I was little.) I have a box of baby quilts that she started and never finished. I have the scissors with her name on them that she only used for fabric. She used them when she first wen to work when I was a little girl – and when she made all our clothes. I have some new stuff this year. I have a copy of the book “Last of the Breed” that I stole from the Seminole County Library system. It’s just a paperback, but I won’t get rid of it either.
I really don’t need this stuff. But especially, this time of year, it all means much more. Laquita, you’re my friend and I love you, but some stuff, we’ll just have to deal with!
