Chiara Atoyebi

The Christmas season in my house is always fun. I make it cozy, memorable, and filled with wonderful smells. My son got comfortable with his virtual school routine this year, and my daughter started hers, so they were used to finding their happiness indoors. In the spirit of generosity, I gave up one of the many spaces I claim in my house so my husband could move his office upstairs with the rest of the family—so we were comfortable. This past Christmas, the kids only asked for one thing a piece. They both only wanted a Sonic toy. I only wanted some fabric since I’m sewing as much as possible in my free time. The goal was to sew these dresses for myself, but I was having issues with my machine, and it was giving me so many problems that I needed help to keep up with my plans. Because of my machine, I had a low expectation that I would finish any projects before Christmas, and this year we were hosting family at our house, and I was hoping to wow everyone with my designs.

Well, needless to say, I was in for a huge surprise when I was given a huge box of dresses from my husband as an early Christmas gift. I almost protested because I wanted to make them myself, but they were so beautiful that I couldn’t say no. I appreciated the attentiveness with the gift because the dresses all have my required length (I like them long), and they ranged from casual to after-five attire. This Christmas, my children, who always get a lot of things, got so much that they were not expecting. But, the best gift for them was opening all their presents with their aunts, cousins, and other family members in one place instead of traveling from house to house. I know the grandparents appreciated it as well. This Christmas, we took care of the food, the extended family took care of the gifts, and we all sat piled up in the family room watching movies, eating, and falling asleep over and over again. Watching everyone relax in my environment, where I strive each day to make it cozy, was the best gift I ever received.