The Merriest of Christmases

Now...I have a lot of reasons to say this has been my best Christmas yet. I'm engaged to a wonderful man and he decided to spend Christmas here in Washington with my family while he has the chance before we move. It's our first Christmas together. It's my second white Christmas in a row...etc. etc. the list goes on. <3
However...I'd like to say that this is the highlight of my day so far:
A few months ago, I stole a gnome from my neighbors across the street. I named him Lenny. Lenny and I went on countless adventures together...to Portland, Seattle, Poulsbo, Whidbey Island...he even rode the ferry! In the past two months I've felt like it was time for Lenny to go home. I thought of returning him on Halloween but then there's always the possibility of him getting picked up by some greedy little trick-or-treater. Then I thought of Thanksgiving...but November in itself turned out to be a very eventful month on its own. Finally...Christmas came to mind. So I sent his family a letter (twice because the first time I got the address wrong...) and told them that Lenny would be home soon...in fact...and this was written in Lenny's words, "I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me."
Today is Christmas day. And I knew it was time. So I wrapped up a little gift for Lenny's family (a miniature gnome...of course!) wrote them a little card addressed from Lenny, and set off on the long walk across the street (but not before a parting photo together). It is only long because walking up secretly to a neighbor's house and stealing or returning something stolen is a very daunting task...but mind you it wasn't REALLY stealing. I was just giving Lenny a little adventure. Well...pulse pounding and determined I tried to walk in other peoples' footsteps to avoid leaving an obvious trail back to my house. I darted up their steps and had a moment of panic when I realized their doors have glass windows and I could hear the family inside enjoying Christmas morning together. But I pushed forward, placed Lenny facing the door with his gift and card in hand. I silently slipped away back across the culdesac to my own driveway, stepping as best I could in my dad's footsteps to hide the trail once more. Then I sat in the livingroom...feeling very successful. A few minutes later I saw my other neighbor from our side of the street leave her house, heading in Lenny's house's direction. I watched with glee as she walked up the steps, opened the door, and seemed to call inside and point to the doorstep. In a moment, Lenny's mom and the little boy of the house appeared and the boy looked in awe at the homewardbound gnome sitting cheerily on their steps, present in hand. They picked him up and rushed him inside along with the card and package and shut the door. I think Lenny is one of the few fortunate gnomes to get to spend Christmas Day inside a house with his family. And this, dear friends, is what made my day today. Merry Christmas.