monique

Christmas Baskets

I went to the country house late yesterday afternoon and cut
some grape vines. Every year I make a few baskets to give
as gifts. I'll sew some napkins to line them later this
month and then, the last week of December, fill them with
various cookies --sugar sprinkled stars, Christmas angels,
snowballs, jam thumbprints-- along with thinly sliced
fruitcake, little mincemeat turnovers, fudge, and a few bar
cookies with rich fillings. In the meantime the baskets will
sit on top of my bookshelf in anticipation.

John and I often go to second-hand and thrift stores and
that's where I'll find little treasures to tuck into the
baskets to make each one special-- a tiny wooden nutcracker
ornament, a pair of Santa earrings, a small, well-loved
stuffed bear, a china teacup. Or I'll knit something - a
mouse knit of grey wool filled with catnip or a little red
stocking ornament with a small candy cane peeking out and a
Hershey's kiss in the toe. Sometimes I'll include a jar of
lemon curd or perhaps one of blackberry jam or quince jelly
I've made during the summer. Some of the baskets will have a
Christmas ornament or two-- dried rosehips strung onto a
thin piece of wire to make a wreath or a angel made of
scraps from a cutter quilt. I don't make many of these
baskets so I can take my time planning each one.