ITEMS

CHRISTMAS EVE, AND THE TRADITIONAL STOLLEN WAS IN PROGRESS OVER AT OMI'S HOUSE.

THIS YEAR, A LITTLE TWIST. MAMA AND FRITHA, HAVING RECENTLY MADE THE TRANSITION TO FULLY VEGAN, HAD A CERTAIN IMPACT ON THE INGREDIENTS (MEANING THIS PARTICULAR STOLLEN WAS ALMOST HALF TOFU)

WASHING UP AFTERWARDS WAS A SNAP WITH FRITH'S HELP.

AND THE STOLLEN CAME OUT BEAUTIFULLY - THE BEST ONE WE'VE EVER HAD, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

AFTERWARDS, WE HAD A QUIET LITTLE GIFT-GIVING CEREMONY. FRITH GAVE US EACH A LITTLE PRESENT, AND SHE ALSO RECEIVED A LOVELY NEW TAMBOURINE FROM OMI.

AND, BECAUSE FRITH HAS HAD HER EYE ON CERTAIN LITTLE THINGS IN MAMA'S BOX OF TREASURES, MAMA PUT THESE PARTICULAR THINGS TOGETHER IN A LITTLE DROSTE'S CACAO BOX (FROM OUR DUTCH AUNTS) AND GAVE THEM TO FRITHA. INCLUDED ARE : AN OWL, TWO PUSSYCATS, A BLUE GLASS TURTLE AND MAMA'S FIRST HYPNOSIS BALL ON A CHAIN.

THE HYPNOSIS BALL WAS THE BIGGEST HIT. FRITH TAKES IT OUT DOZENS OF TIMES A DAY, AND SWINGS IT IN FRONT OF MAMA'S EYES, CHANTING CAREFULLY : YOU ARE GETTING VERY SLEEPY.