Many Days of Christmas

We are truly celebrating twelve days of Christmas this year - even after the day itself passed, cards and packages have continued to arrive at Hana Mansion. Thank you so very much to all of you who have made our holidays bright with your cards bearing kind messages and packages of all sorts of treats. Our Christmas Day was full of relaxation and warmth. I fixed a brunch of strata and gingerbread while Matt slept in, we opened presents (kimonos, jewelry, my favorite perfume, and a wooden Chinese chest for me; HD-DVD stuff, a professional BBQ tool set, and R2D2 soy sauce dispenser for Matt), talked to family, sat on our balcony while Matt had a cigar (it was 75 and sunny!) and dined on lamb in the evening. I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are gearing up for a great beginning to the new year!

Gingerbread men - an essential component of our holiday season. They were always bright and smiling and ready to be eaten - that is until Matt took hold of the icing and created a version with "medical maladies".

At the Southeast Botanical Garden holiday light display.

Our ittty, bitty Japanese "Merry Christmas Tree".