Monster of Forgotten Gifts

There is a time in every holiday season when gifts are given, opened, gasped about, thanked over, and then thrown into a back closet with all the other gifts that have been given, opened, gasped about and thanked over in years past.  Some may be scavenged by children or spouses.  Some may be re-given, opened, gasped about, and thanked over in their turn.  Others just sit...sadly...waiting for no one and serving no purpose. 

The Monster of Forgotten Gifts is the only keeper of these gifts.  He sits with them.  He comforts them in their time of sorrow.  “What will I ever do?” asks the multi-functional key chain.  “All in good time” says the monster.  “All in good time, my multi-functional friend”

And when the house is quiet and the gift-givers sleeping, the monster creeps in and selects a few forgotten gifts for his great pouch.  These gifts he wraps with bright paper and decorates with bits of things until they look just as wonderful as any other brand new gift on a holiday.  Then he places each gift in a home that seems to be whispering for them.  And wouldn’t you know it?  Come each holiday day - the gift is opened, gasped about, thanked over, and then loved.  Loved for a very long time.

Snuggle Monster

It’s cold. The trees are cold, the ground is cold, the bugs are cold, the sky looks cold (although it is very far away so one can’t be completely sure), swing sets are cold, windows are cold...  Where can all the warm be?!  Thankfully there is one monster who has this situation handled.  Snuggle Monster knows you’re cold.  He knows you’re dreading touching that freezing floor in the morning with your defenseless feet.  And he knows just how to fix it: a snuggle.

Snuggle Monster makes sure that every snuggle is a warm one.  He prowls through living rooms, bedrooms, by window seats and your big comfy chair, and when he sees a snuggle he pounces!  Whether it’s the cat cozying up on your lap, a casual arm around your shoulder, or a serious snuggle with a loved one, he’s there to dive right into that snuggle and send out the heat waves.  Snuggle Monster hunkers down and turns your snuggling love into waves of toasty.  He loves nothing more than a good movie, an occasional piece of stray popcorn, and some serious snuggling.   So while your attic might hit you with the chills when you’re retrieving the decorations this season, Snuggle Monster will always be ready to warm you back up.

Family Monster

There is one monster you can never escape.  A monster that is never very far no matter how many times you run off to “find yourself”.  That would be Family Monster.

Family Monster always wears the same old sweater for every family get together, complimented perfectly by his reading glasses attached to the lanyard around his neck.  He’s got great big arms, and he’s always happy to see you.  He’ll put extra helpings on your plate when you don’t want them and loudly announce your embarrassing stories to complete strangers or anyone at all you might wish to impress.  He’ll also hug away your doubts and listen closely to that new hobby you have that no one else seems to care about.

And back in the long ago, when you did that thing: the one you thought no one would ever forgive you for…Family Monster gave you that look that he gives.  And maybe you quaked in your boots for a minute, but then he took you in a great big-armed hug, his eyes twinkling because he made the very same mistake when he was just about your age, and it’s not his job to teach you about mistakes – he’s just happy to pick you up after them.

Homemade Gift Monster

What bright, glittery wrapping paper!  What a lovely – if a little lopsided – bow!  What an amazing gift tag!  ...What.....What is it?

The Homemade Gift Monster can sometimes leave us wondering...  Is this soap or a candle?  Is it a hat or a tea pot cozy?  Is it a book of poems or pressed flowers?  Oh wait!  Both!

Although you may have moments of trepidation while opening her gifts, the Homemade Gift Monster is nothing but joyful as she makes them.  You can hear her in her workshop, giggling and joking with herself while she molds wax or paints a handkerchief. 

Your gift from her may not come in another color or with a gift receipt, but then it doesn’t come with any less love, either.  The thing about her gifts is you know she loves you enough to make something for you with her own furry hands.  And come on, do you really need another basket of lotion or necktie organizer?

Light in the Window Monster

There is a monster out there in the dark that waits for a light to turn on.

This monster looks around a neighborhood at night, seeing families, friends, and otherwise happy humans playing and talking.  He walks through yards and play sets until he finds a house where there seems to be a human missing.  The humans there may be happy and talking and playing, but something in their eyes says they wish a certain human were there to share the talking and playing with them.  The monster watches these houses, and he waits for nighttime.  He waits to see them turn off all the lights but one.  One in the window -- ready to guide their human home.

When he sees this light he smiles, just a small smile. No one is quite sure why.  Some say you can see the glisten of a tear on the monster’s face, but always, there is his smile.  Just a small monster, sitting on a play set, smiling in the soft light of a single lamp.

Snow Fort Monster

The Snow Fort Monster awakes daily during the snow season as bright and early as the sun rises.  He rushes to the window and takes a good hard look at his scientific snow instruments and the lay of the land.

When the snow instruments give all the right beeps, bloops, and bubbling blurps and the snow on the ground twinkles just right in the sun, he knows it is time. Then the Snow Fort Monster gets a steely gleam in his eye and a curl to his lip before pronouncing that today -- yes finally, today -- is a “Snow Fort Day”.

He rushes to his closet and whips out his rocket ship underpants.  A quick rummage through his trunk produces his diagrams and architectural plans.  Then, with much pomp and circumstance, he dons his snow jumpsuit and sets out into the cold to build his masterpiece.

Some Snow Fort Days end with elaborate forts.  Some with very small, not-so-impressive forts.  It doesn’t matter.  Snow Fort Monster always returns home with a serious pronouncement that Snow Fort Day has been a great success.

And really -- how could a day that ends in hot cocoa and dreams of future snow forts be anything but?

Monster of Holiday Decorations

The Monster of Holiday Decorations is a cheery little miss.  Want to find her? Just follow the sound of off-key holiday humming!  You’ll know it’s her by the overly enthusiastic greeting and holly glasses.  She’ll also undoubtedly try to recruit you into her decorating schemes.  Beware.  They will not “just take a minute”. 

Her collection of decorations is vast and ever-growing, due to helpful after-season sales.  (Tinsel at 50% off? She will take eighty-four boxes, please!) However, if you are caught in her bubbly net of cheer, take heart: her haphazard decorating technique is made up for by sheer exuberance.  It’s impossible not to chuckle at her tangled light displays while you hoist another 7,000 watt yard creature.  And though you may worry about her electric bill while munching her homemade cookies, you needn’t concern yourself; she’ll pay without question.  To her; creating a bright spot in this world that gives strangers and friends alike a moment of joy, is worth any price. 

First Things First: What is this?!

Every year there comes a special time.  A time when leaves wave goodbye to their trees and Jack Frost comes out to play.  A time when the air swirls with cinnamon and hope.  A time when rain is replaced with tiny crystals....and a time for monsters.

“Monsters?!” you might say. “What are monsters doing there?”  Well here’s the thing about it -- they’re always there!  You may not have been paying attention (and honestly I can’t blame you.  Isn’t there a new iPhone out?) but monsters are everywhere this time of year.  You can’t hang a wreath or light a candle without running smack-dab into a monster.  Now the monster won’t always tell you it’s there; contrary to popular belief, monsters do not just roar and amble about eating things! (Well...some do...OK, some definitely do, but not all!) Many monsters are in fact very glad to go entirely unnoticed for years at a time.  While some act so natural most people never even notice they aren’t human. So how are you supposed to see these monsters?  How will you know what they even look like? Are they a danger to us?! What if they’re here?!  All around us?!!  RIGHT NOW?!?!

Whoa -- calm down, Crazy.  Do you think I’d tell you about monsters that are all around, all the time, then simply stop writing and let you freak out forever?





….yeah, I probably would.

But hey, it’s the holidays!  So for your peace of mind I will help you out this season.  Lucas and I will post one Monster of the Holiday Season on this very blog, every day during the month of December.  You could call it an advent calendar of sorts.  A....somewhat silly, but we hope very informative, advent calendar.  Each day you’ll get to meet a monster; I’ve written a small bio for each monster, and Lucas has been kind enough to provide portraits of each one. (You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to get a monster to sit still....let’s just say it’s taken more than a few gummy bears.)

The two of us have been lucky enough to somehow pierce this monster veil (we’ve been seeing the darn things for years now.)  We hope we can share our love for them with all of you.

Enjoy!

-Ginger & Lucas-

P.S.: Special thanks for making this project possible go to our patient and encouraging families, Mark & Mel for endlessly inspiring us, and Emily: silent partner in all of our ridiculous endeavors.