One of the problems with having a relative who has a birthday very near Christmas is having to give good gifts for both birthday and Christmas with no time in between. When someone’s birthday is 4 months before or after Christmas, there’s time for people to want new things, or there are seasonal issues, but with a birthday and Christmas right next to each other, you have to give enough gifts for each from the same wish list. It can be very stressful.

My family has long had a way to solve this and many other gift giving conundrums- it’s called the collection. I have been collecting things my entire life, and I do mean entire life. I believe my brother started collecting model airplanes before he was even born.

Now, I will admit to being responsible for my spoon collection. In fact, I still buy myself spoons when I go new places. My plate collection is also my fault. My grandmother collected plates and when she passed, there were some I wanted.

However, as a toddler, I certainly never asked to collect perfume bottles, or music boxes (though I do love my music box collection). And I never, never wanted to collect dolls. Because you can’t play with the collectible dolls, and I didn’t see a purpose in a doll I couldn’t play with. (This would be why my seven Cabbage Patch Kids aren’t worth bank.)

None of this has changed now that I’m an adult. In fact, it’s even harder to shop for me now. If there is something I want or need, I can afford to get it for myself. I actually find it silly to not get myself something on the off chance that someone might give it to me in a month or a couple of weeks. And while my family has mostly given in and gets us gift cards or donates to charity on our behalf, my father still feels the need to get me “something”.

Hence, my Christmas Village collection. Every year for my birthday, my father gives me a new building for my Christmas village.

Happy Holidays from our house to yours. Hope you are spending this day surrounded by food, friends and family.