christmas gifts


today i am racing to get (almost) all my christmas gifting done, since the boy and i are leaving early tomorrow morning to fly to switzerland! {we are taking a christmas markets road trip from basel to vienna and back across bavaria, and we are so excited! the blog will be a bit silent while we are away, but follow along with our adventure on instagram if you want!}

we are a bit sad of course to not be around family this christmas (although ian’s brother and sister-in-law will be with us for a few days before christmas – yay!) and so we are intent to get all our parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews on skype on the 25 of december. today i’m sending off some little packages to our nieces and nephews with a very clear indication that they are not to be opened until we can see our loved one’s faces on the computer on christmas day! i’m so grateful for video calling and can’t wait to celebrate virtually with our families (and watch them open up our gifts).

since shipping anything bigger than an envelope from the uk to the us is quite expensive, we’ve also been shopping online for gifts. in my opinion one of the very best presents that can be given at christmastime is a personalized calendar for the new year. last week i created some gifts via shutterfly and had them shipped to loved ones. the creating tools on shutterfly are so easy to use, have so many customization options as well as beautiful templates, and if you order within the next week, your thoughtful gift will be there in time for christmas! head over to shutterfly and get started! {there’s tons of other things to create besides calendars, too!}

the boy happens to be pretty much the hardest person in the world to get gifts for (i love him for wanting so little and loving what he already has), but i think i’ve found a couple of things he will appreciate on christmas morning. ahhh, isn’t gift giving just the best?! 

i’m especially grateful this christmas season and always for the most spectacular present ever given – god’s gift of his son jesus christ. as the boy and i were reading from a christmas carol last night, this passage from marley’s tormented ghost struck me: why did i walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed star which led the wise men to a poor abode? i hope all the fairy-lit, gift-giving, sparky, festive-enjoying wonder of this season will help me remember to look up and follow the star to the saviour.

Comments

  1. Switzerland at Christmas time sounds magical!

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  2. Enjoy our christmas markets. The Most beautiful time of the year! I will be in London after christmas and I am soooo excited!

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  3. Give hugs to those Swiss Eyres for us!

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  4. How much time off does Ian have?? You two are jet setting all the time. I'm not being critical just curious. My husband started a new job last year and has 10 days of vacation total.

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  5. Charity. Do you have a snapchat? They just did a thing about European Christmas Markets. You should snap your journey!

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  6. Hi Charity, is this a sponsored post? It's a little unclear but reads that way and I want to make sure you run afoul by not disclosing if it is! Can't wait for your recaps.

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  7. I love those calendars! About 5 years ago I made one for my mother in law which had everyone's pictures, b-days and anniversaries (all 100 plus of us) and she just cried and cried. It is the high light of her holidays each year and I also give copies to all my kids. It's always good to get extra points with the in laws when there are 7 daughter in laws!!!

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  8. Check out this cool website about London..you will love it!!

    http://toworkorplay.com/play/

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