This Christmas felt special: for the first time in seven Decembers together, we woke up in our own beds and opened presents under our own tree as a family. Previously we had always traveled, so it was a treat to spend the morning at home with just the four of us before meeting relatives later on.
We did get together with a big group of relatives later to open more gifts as one loud, happy Petersik clan, but we made sure to sneak in a quiet family present-opening first. One extra-special gift from Santa stood out this year for our little Petersik (more about that in our other post), and Clara was thrilled.
Along with her new play kitchen, Clara received plenty of clothes, books, toys, and her beloved leopard hat. Since people always ask what we exchanged with each other, here’s a rundown of what Santa left for our household. I had peeked at Sherry’s Pinterest to find a pair of Kendra Scott earrings she’d been eyeing — they suited her perfectly.
Sherry returned the favor with a couple of decorative bicycle ornaments — one of them a moped — which feed my current fascination with bike-themed art. They also matched the gift we gave my dad: a shirt printed with bicycle parts, a nod to his regular riding habit and his love for bikes.
We unintentionally gave each other art as well, which was both funny and heartfelt. Sherry created a Boy Scout merit badge collage celebrating the “skills I excel at.” She was inspired by vintage woodworking badges she spotted online but instead borrowed and scanned badges from a friend’s collection, printed the ones she felt were relevant, and arranged them in a neat grid on navy craft paper from an earlier DIY project. The result felt personal and thoughtfully made.
Each badge name was used to highlight something she appreciates about me, something she’s thankful for, or a small shared memory. She even framed a typed “key” explaining the meanings behind the badges — a detail that made me laugh, especially at the badge labeled with a squirrel icon.
The collage hasn’t found a permanent home yet, but it looks striking against the dining room curtains and will likely live somewhere we can enjoy its clean, graphic look. Meanwhile, Sherry had already hung my gift to her by the end of the day — she’s efficient!
I had purchased a custom poster for Sherry that references a perfectly absurd and innocent line we overheard on TV: “When Emerald grows up, she wants to be a photographer… or an octopus.” I edited the quote slightly and had it made into a playful, one-of-a-kind print. The coral color reads beautifully next to Clara’s painting and serves as a cheerful reminder to keep dreaming big.
To encourage Sherry to return to a longtime interest, Clara, Burger and I gave her art supplies and a gift certificate to a local art store — deliberately not a big craft chain so the gift would be used for painting rather than house projects. Sherry studied art and holds a BFA, and we thought a gentle nudge back toward making would be a meaningful present.
There were a few lighthearted items too: Sherry gave me a set of playful buttons that sum up our relationship, and she also gifted a camera remote to support my ongoing hobby of taking more self-timed photos. The remote should make it easier to capture the candid family moments we love.
Of course Burger wasn’t forgotten. He’s not exactly an early riser, so his gifts were delivered to him in bed: a plush lion picked out by Clara, plus plenty of cozy attention. He posed for some great stretching-and-smiling photos that morning, reminding us that pet gifts count just as much as any stocking stuffer.
Between this recap and our earlier post about Clara’s play kitchen, we’ve shared most of the holiday highlights and gift ideas from our family celebration. We always appreciate hearing what other people gave or received — especially DIY projects, unique finds, or home-related gifts that inspired you this season. What was the best gift you gave or got this year?
Psst — we shared an extended family holiday post with more pictures and details on Young House Life.
Update: You can find our favorite holiday decor picks in a separate roundup of affordable seasonal finds.