2024-12-26 - Gifts from Boston

After a morning spent shopping, picking up some last minute things to bring home with him from his trip, Trace had climbed aboard the jet with his suitcase and an egregious number of extra bags for the flight back to Michigan. And after a little bit of organizing his collective purchases into some manner of order, he set out to do some deliveries after leaving two neatly wrapped boxes for Gabriel and Fin and a big tin of cookies on the counter. Gabriel and Fin each get a hand knit warm blanket. Gabriel's is blue with snowflakes of varying sizes all over it. Fin's is white with holly and little red holly berries all over it.

His first stop was outside the door of the triplets' apartment. There, he set down a large tin of cookies and three individually wrapped boxes with small cards attached to them, each one labeled with their names: Angelo, Dante, and Saint. Inside each box is a warm hand-knit scarf purchased from a local vendor at the market he visited. Dante's is a rich crimson with flecks of gold. Saint's is a deep blue with flecks of silver. Angelo's is a deep green with flecks of white. And each one gets a silly Christmas lobster ornament wearing a santa hat.

His second, by Charmaine's, who also gets a tin of cookies and a small box. Inside is a delicate Poinsettia ornament and a matching brooch.

His third stop, Ari's apartment, who gets a tin of cookies and a small box. Inside is a black cat ornament with the cat all entangled in Christmas lights -- clearly a representation of the shop cat.

His fourth, Avery's apartment, who gets a tin of cookies and a medium sized box. Inside is a series of ornaments that look like they are snowmen made out of ice cubes. Each one has a different amusing expression on its face -- four in total.

The tin of cookies that each receives is a selection of those that Trace, his sister, and his nonna all made for the holidays, filled with anise and wine cookies, soft italian sugar cookies, lemon cookies, italian horn cookies filled with raspberry, and chocolate spice.

His last stop is outside Enzo's door. There, he sets down a tin of cookies with his sister's hand-written note attached addressing her best holiday wishes to "Mystery Prince" complete with an ornate little crown drawn over the P and written in her flowing, loopy script. On top, he sets down another box. Inside, there are two items -- the first, a tiny snowglobe able to easily slip into one's pocket. The curve of the glass magnifies the detailed little city map that makes up the base, a tiny manor house sitting on top of the hill, recreated in detail, and pine trees with drifts of snow at the edges. A little shake, and the snow falls over the small scene. The second, a leather folio with a similar map etched into its cover, a flap inside just the right size for a folded map to be tucked into, a clear pocket sized for photographs, and a writing pad and pen for notes. The card inside is written in Trace's neat script. "A certain pirate told me that it was your birthday. I saw these and thought of you. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday. -- Trace"