Written by For our prompt of “Candy” today, I ended up with a sketch of a little mouse sliding down some holiday ribbon candy. In my family, this type of candy was really just decoration and I don’t even remember actually eating any of it. But, it’s colorful and festive and always makes me smile. There are so many wonderful and special traditions that appear this month that have been happening for so many years now. I think that’s what I love most about this season. It’s filled with more color and light than any other time of year. My inner child gets to come out to play in ways that never quite compare to all of the other days. As much as I try to hold on to this feeling all year long, the sparkle that I feel during this month is truly unique and special. A flood of memories from past holidays comes back to join all of the new memories. It’s like stepping inside a snow globe filled with only magic and love.
There have been a few more little gifts that have arrived for Philippe. A couple of them that I thought were perfectly silly and ridiculous when I ordered them are actually much cooler than I expected. So, I’m excited to give them to him on Christmas Eve. He has a few surprises in store for me as well. I can always tell because, a few times now, he’s rushed a package upstairs to his closet as though the mere glimpse of the box on my part would give too much away. This is also why he will only wrap my gifts on Christmas Eve and then set them out at the last possible moment. He really needn’t worry. I’m terrible when it comes to guessing what’s inside. Which, as it turns out, is a rather wonderful thing in itself because I’m always perfectly surprised every time. It can really be anything at all inside since I really just love opening gifts.
Though I don’t have much to report that’s particularly new. Tonight, we’ll just be doing the same thing we do each night of the month. Philippe will have some sort of magic trick to perform for me from our French countdown calendar. There was one trick that was too difficult to learn in one sitting so he still has to figure that one out and perform it for me. I think he might have forgotten, but I haven’t, so I’ll be reminding him soon enough. It’s such a cozy time of year. Even though it gets much colder in January, we don’t have the luxury of sleeping in and staying warm in bed each day. We’re both off work this entire week ahead so each day can be as slow and lazy as we like. That’s one of the most wonderful gifts of the season. A time to relax and enjoy each moment properly, while reflecting on beautiful memories of candy ribbons.
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Charlie it took me an entire box of small candy canes (not all at once) to make me sick of them for the next two years and this time it only took half a dozen of them. I must be cured. And now you show me a ribbon of candy cane. And then my neighbour friend presented me with a box of candy canes, the big honkers. I will put those away for summer.
hehe! Yeah, candy is one thing I can always turn down. But I think candy canes are required during this season!! 😃💕
Love this, Charlie!! Ribbon candy was always a tradition in my parent’s house; it was one of my mom’s favorites.
Thanks so much, Mary! 😃💕 Aww that’s wonderful!
Your comment about it not mattering what’s inside because you just love opening gifts made me think – how wonderful it would be, and how much money we would save if we were like cats. Wrap up an empty cardboard box, and we’d be thrilled to tear off the paper and chase it around, and then squeeze ourselves into the box. What an image that brings to mind of the whole famly chasing after paper, while a few peer at them, wide-eyed, from within their boxes. I have a weird mind.
Feliz Navidad, Sandra! 🎄🎅⛄🎄🎅⛄ I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! Stay warm!
Merry Christmas, Marisela!
hehe!! I think that’s an awesome image! 😃💕 Like cats or children… the box was always way more fun to play with back then!
Lovely painting and yep it is a lazy kind of week leading up to Christmas..enjoy!!
Thanks so much, Priscilla! 😃💕 Yay for a lazy week to enjoy!
Fabulous Charlie and ribbon candy is nicer to look at then to eat. Nice day here but very cold, minis 9° F this morning. We drove a few towns away so that I can retrieve two paintings from a show. They will have another in the spring. We shoveled snow and I got to paint. Good day.
Thanks so much, Karen! 😃💕 Sounds like a great day indeed! That’s wonderful!
Adorable sketch! Our evenings are pretty quiet until the big night as well. Since we both enjoy cozy, it works out well.
Thanks so much, Laura! 😃💕 awww yay for cozy nights ahead!
There’s that ribbon candy. I thought I talked to you about it in the past, but I’m not sure, it may have been someone else. Grandma Mabel as always had ribbon candy for Xmas. It’s so pretty and festive. But it tastes horrible!! I used to try some every year just in case, but it never got better! I recently looked it up on Amazon and I found some that’s supposed to taste good. Unfortunately it’s expensive and they charge shipping. So no ribbon candy for us!
Feliz Navidad, Lisa! 🎄🎅⛄🎄🎅⛄ May your Christmas be wonderful and beautiful!
Thanks so much, Lisa! 😃💕 Yeah, I think I saw that kind as well and almost got some. Though I still think it works just fine as only decoration! hehe
How wonderful! You nailed that ribbon candy, or as I like to call it Grandma candy. It always makes me think of Grandmas out there with dishes of it by their resting chairs. We usually had a dish of it at Christmas time. There was always that one piece that tasted extra disgusting, but it never stopped me from eating the others. It was candy! Oh and by the end of the holidays, they were one big chunk, all stuck together. Hahaha!
Thanks so much, Lori! 😃💕 It’s totally grandma candy which makes me love it even more! I remember that big sticky chunk too! lol
OMGOSH! Did anyone actually like ribbon candy! I can never remember it anywhere but at my great aunties, and it was a giant beautiful translucent glob of tangled color and sugar, in an ancient cut glass dish. I only tried to move it-no moving😁😄😆 Thats ok, she made it up to us with her AMAZING fudge. I do know what that little mouse knows though-LIFE IS SWEET!!
Thanks Charlie! Its after 8 and Im watching ‘Olive the Other Reindeer’ (required Christmas watching. Drew Barrymore voices the star little dog! Cant go wrong!) Im just thinking about painting and/or soaking my feet😆 All the cards are finally out and stuff is bagged. I’ll miss our big gatherings this year but we’ll be far more happy to see our family healthy and well later! All of you take care, be safe and blessed!
Feliz Navidad, Nellie Nellie! 🎄🎅⛄🎄🎅⛄ May your Christmas be wonderful!
Aww thanks so much, Nellie! 😃💕 Yay for getting all of your cards out! Yeah, I think that those next gatherings will just be even more special in the future indeed!
Cute painting, Charlie! I have never seen or eaten ribbon candy. I have seen tree ornaments that look like ribbon candy and they are so beautiful! 💜 Man, Charlie, I need to get myself a boyfriend/husband to get loads of gifts and presents like you and Philippe. haha haha haha 😂😂😂 Well, that’s only part of the reason to meet my guy. 💕💖💜💝 Now, he would be a big, giant present under the tree that I am ready for. 😁😁😁
Have a great evening, my friend. 💜
Thanks so much, Marisela! 😃💕 hehe! Yeah, you deserve a nice man and lots of presents! I think that’s definitely what the new year will bring you!
It’s been a joy and a blessing getting to know you, Charlie. I have gained a friend. 💜 May I drop you an email every now and then to say hi? Maybe give you an update on my exciting life in the new year? 😋😋
I am trying not to cry, Charlie. You have been a sweet friend to chat with and know. 💜 Thank you for all of your kind and sweet words. Thank you for always patiently listening to me during such a painful time in my life. You are my friend. Mi amigo del alma. My friend from the heart.
Certainly! You can drop me an email! I’ll hopefully not get so far behind on emails while I’m slowing down on posts! hehe 😃💕
Ribbon candy must be a New England thing as we always had a box around for Christmas. And it was the last sweet stuff to be devoured, after the chocolate Santas and reindeer and apple pie. And always a tangerine or orange in the toe of our stockings. Wonderful memories.
Aww glad this brought back wonderful memories, Bob! 😃💕 Yeah, it’s really difficult to compete with chocolate! hehe
Adorable
Thanks so much, Zoie! 😃💕
I Love it Charlie. 😊
Thanks so much! 😃💕
Who knew ribbon candy doubled up as an activity centre for mice? Must be a bumpy ride down 😛
hehe!! Yeah, it’s totally a bumpy ride! 😉 I wanted to make it smoother, but I didn’t have enough room in my sketchbook! lol
Love this Charlie!! This mouse is so sweet! ❤️ Not that I would want to find him in my house, though 😆😁 I remember the ribbon candy. Came in an assortment of pastel colored hard candy and then the green, white or red ribbon candy. Oh those wonderful memories 😘
Thanks so much, Linda! 😃💕 Yeah, hard candy was everywhere when I was growing up. I always buy some each year just have the visual around again.