Virago Secret Santa: Opening !!!

December 19 is opening day. While many are waiting for Christmas Day, some of us are READY TO CELEBRATE. While it is still December 18 in my time zone, I am creating this thread now so those in other time zones can kick off the festivities when the new day dawns.

Whenever you tear open those parcels, be sure to come here and tell us all about it!

I'm going to try to stay awake until midnight so that I can open tonight!!

I wanted to do that Christina, as well but have been up since 4:15 and feel the need for sleep.
Merry Christmas to all of you revelers & rippers of Christmas wrap. Can't wait to get on here in the morning to find what Santa has brought you.
Merry Christmas; Ho, Ho, Ho!

Am I truly the first one? That won't stop me! So, because I have no patience...

Many, many thanks to wonderful Julie (juliette07) for this abundance of gifts!

A set of UNICEF magnetic bookmarks. Useful AND for a good cause! Any group that helps children is close to my heart, so thank you, Julie, for your selection. Plus, the bookmarks are beautiful!

Pastors and Masters by Ivy Compton-Burnett in a lovely Hesperus Press "Modern Voices" edition. The VMCs of hers that I've read (two others) were good, so I'm sure this one will be as well! I find her style--mostly dialogue--a rewarding challenge.

Another slim volume, The Holy Land by Maurice Riordan. A book of poetry that I will be able to slowly savor! I have not read any poetry by Riordan before and am glad to have a new poet to discover.

And Strands: A Year of Discoveries on the Beach by Jean Sprackland. In this one, the author recounts a year of things found and encountered while walking on the beach. It appears to be a meditation on observation and curiosity--an ekphrasis of the found object. (I'll be reading this one next!)

Thank you, Julie! For each gift. For the thought you put into the selections. For your friendship. xx

Another Viragoite who couldn't wait here and spent a happy time tearing open my packages this morning. Thank you to my Santa, Ali, for the lovely gifts!

My parcels contained some chocolate Santas (yum!), some Christmas tea which sounds very intriguing and, of course, some books meaning that I received 3 of my favourite things in one parcel :-)

The books were:

Elizabeth Taylor: Complete Short Stories by Elizabeth Taylor
Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy by Rumer Godden
The Odd Women by George Gissing
An Episode of Sparrows by Rumer Godden
The Very Dead of Winter by Mary Hocking

All books I was very excited to receive - thank you Ali!

JOY! I had intended to be the first on the east coast to open and post, but I was too sleepy to make it to midnight. Christina beat me to the draw, but I see I'm still the first on the east coast.... Anyway....
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Santa Kerry!!! I am almost typing one-handed so that I can clutch to my heart two wish list books and one that I didn't know about but WANTED all the same:

The Reformation: A History by Diarmid MacCulloch - my first big project of 2015
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud - I'll discover what the Messud love is about!
Bright Young Things by Scarlett Thomas - SO well chosen; I loved The End of Mr Y and Our Tragic Universe.

Thank you for hitting me exactly in the right place, Kerry.

OMG! Rainpebble, you are awesome!!!!

Three from my wishlist:

Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy
The Bellini Madonna by Elizabeth Lowry
Moonraker by F. Tennyson Jesse

and one I've always meant to read:
Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (The Panama Hotel in Japantown is now a tea/coffee house and I've been there several times!)

and I'm not sure this isn't the best of all: a tin of dark chocolate truffles from Harry and David!!!

Thank you so much from Sweden!!!!!

Another US East Coaster popping by!

Thank you Dee (@Soupdragon) for your oh-so-wonderful gifts! Here are the "before and after" photos:


The books, from bottom to top:
- Men we Reaped, by Jesmyn Ward: from my wish list and I'm very excited to own it
- Lean on Pete, by Willy Vlautin who I'm not familiar with but Dee and I have very similar taste in books and it was one of her favourite books this year
- Thank Heaving Fasting, by E.M. Delafield, one of my favourite Virago authors, so I'm very happy to add this to my collection
- A House of Air, by Penelope Fitzgerald, a "book about books" which we LTers always appreciate. Just browsing through the table of contents made me very keen to dip into this collection of essays, reviews, and other writing.

Thank you so much, Dee!

I just opened my first VSS gift. It is a beautiful George Braziller edition of Living in the Maniototo by Janet Frame. My VSS must know me well for though I thought I had this book, I have hunted this house high and low for 2 years now and been unable to find it. My tag for the book even said: "unable to locate". Thank you so much Santa. I am going to spread out the other 5 presents. No doubt you have left your identity in one of them. :-)

There was a note attached: "To Mrs. wetstone; not sure how "proper" this one is, but dear Mrs. Gaskell assured me, "well, Rev. Nichols, these young fold do read differently than in our day." From Arthur, Rev. & Mrs B, Elizabeth & Marie"
DEFINITELY PROPER. Thank you so much. belva's a happy girl.

I still am not quite sure of the identity of my Santa though I 'think' I know who it is. I didn't think to look at the return address on the package but enclosed was an Russian furrish hat (not wrapped) which I love dearly! It is on my head as we speak and I am looking mighty fine, I must say. Very much Victor Ipolitovich Komarovsky (Rod Steiger--think Doctor Zhivago). The remainder of the gifts look lovely under the tree.

Merry Christmas to my VSS and to all of the kind and gentle folk who reside in this wonderful group.

Santa delivered to me yesterday (Thursday) through my post office box, which had one of those yellow cards in it telling me there's something too big so I should go to the counter. I knew it was from Santa as soon as I saw a return-address from Canada.

I've been taking some continuing legal education courses, which really have me sleepy, so I'm just getting to open everything. Still not sure for absolute certain who my VSS is. My package contains four beautifully wrapped books and a letter signed "Santa."

I'm following Belva's idea (>9 rainpebble:) and opening opening just one this evening, saving the other three for later. So far, then, I've gotten Vita Sackville-West's The Edwardians, which I don't have and which I've never read but which I've been meaning to get around to for ages!

Thank you, Santa, and I'll be back later to tell everyone what my next present is.

I had a busy day today away from the house, and the main thing on my mind was the lovely stack of bookish looking presents waiting for me under the tree. I am so overwhelmed by the generosity of my Secret Santa, Deborah (Cariola) that I almost don't know where to begin. There were seven wrapped packages and a gift bag, but when I opened the packages a couple of them had more than one book inside. Most are from my wishlist or by authors I've been meaning to read. In several of the books, there were post it notes that told me what she thought of the book, or made recommendations for other books by the author.

From my wishlist -
The Cooked Seed by Anchee Min
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
Coventry by Helen Humphreys
Atonement by Ian McEwan
O Pioneers by Willa Cather
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Wait, there's more -
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng, an author I've been meaning to read
Passion by Jude Morgan. Deborah's note says it is one of her all time favorite historical novels about the Romantic poets and the women in their lives. I can't wait to start it.

And then -
Three Green Viragos by Molly Keane, an author I've recently found and love. Loving Without Tears, Devoted Ladies, and The Rising Tide

Lastly, a tin of 'Downton Abbey Christmas Tea' that smells wonderful because of the mulling spices.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Deborah!

And, Merry Christmas to all of you.

>8 lauralkeet: I'm so pleased you like your books, Laura. I was delighted to find I was choosing for you this year, as I remember well you being my Santa in our very first year.

I'm aiming to wait until Christmas Day before I open mine this year - as long as I can resist the temptation.

>12 Soupdragon: I remember that too, Dee!

Utter delights! Four tantalizing books and a chocolate maple-leaf lollipop from Lisa (Lisa Morr). Thank you so much! I can't wait to dig in! Merry Christmas everyone!

Diving in for my 2nd package. Another lovely green & red beautifully wrapped gift with a REAL fabric ribbon & bow. I am impressed. No paper ribbons this year! And another beautiful tag with a lovely little note on it. Oh lookee! It is signed and my V.S.S. this year is CurrerBell!~! How lovely Mike! I am so happy it is you.
This book is a 1982 hardback edition of Rumer Godden's 1981 The Dark Horse, complete with book jacket. I know I shall love this one! I have loved all of the Goddens I have read thus far. Thank you so much Mike. You are definitely spot on with your gifts this year.
I am not familiar with this story. Any of you?
Author's Note: "This story is taken from an event that happened in Calcutta some fifty years ago and has become a legend in Calcutta's racing circles. It has been published several times in different versions with a variety of characters, but always as an anecdote among other anecdotes. It is documented in the official history of The Royal Calcutta Turf Club, but I have called the Sisters concerned The Sisters of Poverty, because the real Order in the story prefers to remain hidden."
Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness Mike. Merry Christmas. I shall open another tonight most likely. The excitement builds!
belva

>5 souloftherose: so glad you liked the books Heather.

I will be opening my enormous pile of lovely looking gifts on Christmas day. I am tempted to dive in now though. Anticipation is all part of the joy though. In meantime enjoying seeing what others have had :)

I have to admit to sampling one of the chocolates that arrived with mine this afternoon - husband had one, too. Yummy!

OK OK I can't wait!

I know I said I was going to wait till Christmas but I have decided, since I have six parcels, to open 2 today, and then one each day until I am done! I have tried to post a picture but am not having any success.

If you would like to see my beautiful presents before they are unwrapped go here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152449320886954&set=a.470615671953...

from Cate: bleueroses

oh goodie! Books! Thank you so much!

A green spine Virago: Madame de Treymes by Edith Wharton. I have not read her yet and I understand that she is wonderful. Perfect addition to my collection. Also accompanied by a First Folio Post Card which will make a fine bookmark!

AND

A later green Virago: A Model Childhood by Christa Wolf. Haven't heard of this but sounds like something I would really enjoy. And tucked under the raffia bow a card from Cate with Christmas wishes (that will also make a fine bookmark)!

Presents 3 to 6 to follow!

Being very good and holding off until the 25th, despite temptation. Enjoying the wrapping.

>1 lauralkeet: Lovely setting for all this.

Gift number 3 in beautiful wrap & with another lovely tag & ribbon. This one is from Emily Jane. What fun. I love that all of the girls are involved with my Christmas!
Ohhhhh, two gifts in one. Two more Goddens I have been wanting, complete with book jackets. The first: Coromandel Sea Change is about an hotel on the coast of Coromandel and a couple who come to honeymoon here. The setting is of mango groves, scarlet-flowered cotton trees & the pounding surf. Sounds perfectly idyllic. But according to the book jacket, the tranquility becomes soured by the bride's sense of isolation from her groom. Can't wait to dig into it. Sounds like a perfect comfort read. The second: Cromartie vs.the God Shiva is, again according to the book jacket, a magical story about art, love, and greed. It is set in London and on south India's shimmering Coromandel coast & based on a real case that happened ten years ago concerning the ownership of a priceless bronze statue. A tale of morality and also at heart a touching love story. I could use one of those.
Thank you CurrerBell. I am loving your book choices. Apparently you & the girls know me very well.
Merry Christmas! I will open the remaining 3 + the 'secret paper' tonight, tomorrow morning & tomorrow evening as we will be leaving very early on Tuesday for 4 or 5 days of Christmas revelry with our ex-daughter-in-law, her husband, our 3 granddaughters & their babies. (how lovely of her to invite us) We are so blessed.
BTW Mike, the wrapping paper you used is very high quality. I haven't seen any like it for quite some time. Thank you, thank you so very much again. hugs,

Cathy, I'm glad you like what you've opened so far! Wharton is a favourite for me, so I love giving her books when I can.

As for the Christa Wolf, I confess I haven't read this one yet so I can't say much about it; however, there are some nice reviews/comments on goodreads to give you a better idea of the story.
goodreads....https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2513451.A_Model_Childhood?from_search=true

It seems that most of us are waiting until the 25th - I may not wait that long! These lovely packages have been beckoning me for weeks now!! 😊 🎄

>22 bleuroses: Cate, looking forward to tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day!

I hope my Santa doesn't mind if I postpone my opening until Boxing Day on the 26th? It's looking like Christmas Day is going to be a rush and, frankly, I want something to look forward to when we are nestled at home on our own again. I can say thank you now, I know who they are and they know I know ...

I'm enjoying this thread. Every year has been fun in its own way. The first few years, most people rushed to open their gifts on December 19 unless they were traveling or otherwise engaged, and it was like a 24-hour online party. The past couple of years have been more relaxed and spread out, with many waiting until Christmas or later. And that's fun in a different way. The posts on this thread are less frequent, which helps me appreciate each person's experience a bit more. And of course it extends the warm holiday feelings over a longer period of time, adding to my appreciation for this wonderful group.

>25 lauralkeet: I couldn't agree more Laura. This is such a lovely group, full of wonderful, generous people. It's great to be a part of, and I love to see what people are getting for their gifts! :)

Just popping in to wish everyone happy opening and happy holidays! I missed joining in the exchange this year, but luckily I don't have to miss sharing in the fun of reading everyone's delight! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Joy! Joy! Joy! I'm loving how it's being spread out too!
Merry Christmas, dear Viragoes!

opening another! I am spoiled ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Yay! I am a happy woman!

Margaret Lawrence's The Fire-Dwellers an original green.

Cate,
#1 - Santa must have told you that I want to read more books by Canadian authors!
#2 - I read The Stone Angel in 2012 and LOVED it! Gave it 5 stars and favourited it!

Looking forward to seeing what this one is like.

Thank you Cate

OMG!!! The one book I mentioned in my letter to Santa! Janet Gezari's Last Things: Emily Bronte's Poems. Gezari's a noted Bronte scholar, and she's the editor of the just-published Harvard/Belknap annotated edition of Wuthering Heights (which, in addition to being a gorgeous coffee-table size edition with substantial illustrations, also includes a good deal of discussion of Emily's poetry in its annotations). Gezari is also the editor of the Penguin edition of Emily's poetry (though I personally use the Hatfield edition published by Columbia University Press).

Thank you so much, Santa. This is a book that I've so very much wanted to get around to, to accompany a good thorough read-through of Emily's poetry. Thank you, thank you, thank you, dearest Santa!

ETA: I've still got two more packages to open. Like Belva, I'm taking my time.

Second ETA: And the book's brand new too! I didn't realize it was still in print.

I waited until I had finished my holiday prep (OK, well most of it...) and got packages shipped off. I opened my package from Stuck-in-a-book (Simon) and found an original green copy of The Skin Chairs by Barbara Comyns - which Simon described as 'a little macabre but entirely wonderful', which means it's perfect for me! He also got me The Wind in the Willows, which I thought for sure I had, but I don't. I had a picture in my mind's eye of this book, thought for sure I had it, and went to check - nope, not there amongst the Gs. So, I looked around some more, and the book I was thinking of was Watership Down, not the same book, but it does have lots of talking animals... And the third part of the gift is The Virago Book of the Joy of Shopping which includes lot of snippets about shopping from lots of Virago authors, something fun to dip into I think. Thank you so much Simon!

Edited because my iPad doesn't like to create touchstones...

Well my peeps, I'm going to give you your laugh for the day.

I went to enter my new Margaret Lawrence book The Fire-Dwellers that bleuroses Cate gave me AND LT told me I was making a duplicate entry. I checked and I had this book on my wishlist! Even I didn't know that I had it on my wishlist but I guess Santa knew! Good ole Santa.

Diving in for package #4 from CurrerBell, my VSS this year. He is spoiling me something fierce!
This one is from Anne and had two Godden' inside. My goodness; the entire clan got involved this year. What Ho!
The beautiful tag says: "tales for a Winter's Eve". The book: Gone: A Thread of Stories by Rumer Godden. According to the book jacket: "Rumer Godden has named this collection of stories Gone, she says in her preface, "because each is founded on a moment of experience, felt or seen or touched, that has long since gone, but that has left a small sediment or shape behind." Looking forward to this one eagerly.
The second book in this gift is MERCY, PITY, PEACE AND LOVE and is by Rumer and Jon Godden. This jacket states: "Truthful, poignant, and compelling, the stories in this exquisite collection move between the timeless India of fable and the India of today. Set in the rice fields of Bengal, the streets of Calcutta, and the mountains of northern Kashmir, they explore the themes of courage, the coming of manhood, the worship of different gods, and the clash of culture between East and West." Sounds like fascinating reading to me and perhaps the book I will take on our road trip over Christmas.
Thank you so much Mike. I love how you have enclosed business cards from the shops where you found the books. You have done marvelously. ♥
I cannot wait to open the two remaining gifts and the secret paper I must save for last.

>33 rainpebble: Actually, you can open the "secret paper" any time you like now.

The Goddens are all from The Title Page, a used and rare book store in Bryn Mawr, on Lancaster Avenue just a few minutes east of Villanova University. Beverly, the owner, has an entire shelf of Goddens, most of which your LT catalog shows that you already have — and she used to have an entire three-shelf bookcase of Virago blackies and greenies (until someone bought most of them up some years ago, heh heh).

Janet Frame's someone I've never heard of, but I stumbled across Living in the Maniototo in Bucks County Bookshop. It's an interesting used book store in Doylestown (the county seat, which is located some miles south of New Hope); it shares a building with another used book store right across the hall, and the two are so far from being competitors that they actually share a credit-card machine.

How very interesting Mike. Okay, I am off to scrounge under the tree for the 'secret paper'. The excitement builds!~!

Later: I love this Mike! Can you imagine the effrontery of Mr. V. Andal to even suggest to Miss Beatrix Potter that one jot or tittle of her The Tale of Peter Rabbit be changed especially in the manner in which he suggests?
Thank you for taking the time to print this off & send it to me. I got a great deal of enjoyment out of it and intend to recopy it and add a cover & back to it so as to place it on my shelves with my Beatrix Potter tales.

hugs,
belva

>35 rainpebble: I didn't want you to open it until I knew you'd seen all the Rumer Goddens first. (Alright, that's a hint that the remaining two packages will give you some non-Godden variety.) I happened to run across a couple of Hornbook Magazine issues on ABE that each contained an article by Marion Garthwaite, a children's writer who flourished in the 50s and early 60s and who I remember fondly from childhood. One of these issues also contained the Godden piece (as well as a speech by Madeleine L'Engle). But I personally got them for Garthwaite (and you can see from her LT page that I've got ten of her books).

Dec 23rd already!

Today's gift is another bookish shaped package. What do you think it could be?

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A book! The Land of Green Ginger by Winifred Holtby. LT predicts with high confidence that I will LOVE this book.

And tucked under the raffia with this one, another postcard depicting "A Woman Reading" painted by Yamashita Shintaro in 1907. Beautiful! Another book mark.

Forgot to mention that yesterday's "tucked under the raffia" gift was a package of eschscholzia californica (California orange poppy seeds). Probably won't use this one as a bookmark. I live in an condo apartment so no garden but I have a friend who has a beautiful back yard and loves flowers. I think I will give them to Monika.

Thanks, Cate.

Oh Booktruffler what can I say - your brown box has been released from the hands of my dearly beloved! It is now opened and the *five* yes five little packages are now revealed, as was your lovely card, good wishes and the salted caramel chocolate. Beautifully wrapped they add more colour to our hearth - thank you so far! They will be unwrapped tomorrow ....

Note to self = need to revise how to get photos *here*!

Gift # 5

This time, under the raffia, an actual bookmark that I can use as a bookmark.

Ooh, modern VMC - West with the Night by Beryl Markham. I do love these modern covers. This one sounds really interesting

Thanks, Santa Cate!

>39 ccookie: I thought West with the Night was a very interesting read!

> West with the Night is brilliant, I have a copy waiting for me to re-read. :)

I can't wait to open my VSS gifts - but I am holding out for Christmas day - my family do presents after lunch so I will have to rein in my urge to rip into them after breakfast. In the meantime here is a pic of my very generous VSS pile.

Thank you, Santa, for my third present, which I've just opened. Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey (Persephone). I know nothing about this one, but I've been wanting to dip a toe into the Persephone pond, and this is a short novella so it should be a good start.

I've got a 6:30pm Christmas carol service at my church. I've still got one gift left to open, and I may do it when I get home or else save it for tomorrow. Still not positive who my VSS is, although I'm narrowing it down from the return address (Ontario, Canada).

Oh my goodness, I am quite overcome! I left my presents in their cardboard box, so hadn't seen the extremely beautifully wrapped four parcels - each with a gorgeous Christmas decoration on the front, as well as ribbon etc. (I shall try to add a photo later). My Santa (as I had deduced from the name on the parcel, of course!) was the wonderful Christina (christiguc) who is pretty much the best present giver ever. I got...
The True Heart by Sylvia Townsend Warner in a really beautiful old edition.
Peking Picnic by Ann Bridge - both Bridge and STW are authors I love
God on the Rocks by Jane Gardam - an author I've been meaning to try for ages.
And then...
oh, and then...
Out of the Red, Into the Blue by Barbara Comyns - my family were astounded by my cries of delight at this one! I can't believe it, as I've wanted it for so long - however did you find a copy, Christina?? I thought I'd have to give up my firstborn for it one day.
I am so thrilled! Thank you, thank you :)

Happy, happy bunny here! I'm so glad I waited until Christmas Day to have the thrill of my VSS! The lovely Genny T (who I was lucky enough to meet at ourLT get-together earlier in the year) came up trumps with a couple of wonderful, wonderful books:

Flush by Virginia Woolf (the gorgeous new Persephone edition which I didn't have and am very glad to have now - complete with bookmark!)
Bid Me to Live by HD - this is the Virago I think I most wanted from my wishlist, and despite my best efforts I've never tracked down a copy - eeeeeh! :)

Also included was a rather fabulous reel of tape from the Literary Gift Company emblazoned with a quotation from Woolf which as Genny so rightly surmised will come in *very* handy! There was also a Santa bookmark which I think came with the package too (it got a bit chaotic this morning....) and the parcel itself was sealed with tape quoting L.M. Alcott.

Basically, I'm over the moon - thank you Genny, for my wonderful VSS treats - this group is the best!

Merry Christmas, alll! :)

xxxxxx

Isn't the Virago Secret Santa the most magical thing? Somehow you receive Christmas gifts that only someone who knew and understood your bookish tastes really, really well could find. Yet you may have never actually met that person, amazing!

I was lucky enough to have Jane (fleurfisher) as my Santa this year. Thank you so much Jane, your gifts are just wonderful!

With her characteristic thoughtfulness, Jane selected five perfect choices and enclosed a vintage postcard of Penzance in each, explaining her choice of book and how the postcard related to her own life in Penzance. The Cornish wrapping paper also helped deliver a little of the essence of Cornwall to my door and left me in little doubt who my SS was this year!

The books:

The Forgotten Smile - Margaret Kennedy. I can't wait to dive into this one. I've been hoping to read some more Kennedy for a while and really coveting these new Vintage editions.
A Woman of Independent Means - Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey. "What a coincidence", I thought, this has been near the top of my wishlist for ages but Jane wouldn't know that as I haven't mentioned it on LibraryThing. Except it turned out she did know, having tracked down my wishlist on another site, (readitswapit)!
Letters to a Friend - Winifred Holtby. I asked in my letter to Santa for anything that Santa thought really should be in my library but isn't. Probably a big ask, but I've realised that Letters to a Friend is that book. As Jane knows, I'm a big Holtby fan and this collection of her correspondence to Jean McWilliam looks delicious. I'm so happy to have this in my collection and am really looking forward to making a start on it.
In Diamond Square - Merce Rodoreda. I'm not familiar with this book but it looks wonderful and know I'm in safe hands with such a glowing recommendation from Jane.
Adam's Breed - Radclyffe Hall. To make my Secret Santa complete, a green VMC that I don't already have! I've been hoping to make 2015 the year I finally read Radclyffe Hall, so this is a perfect addition to my collection.

Thank you, Jane! I hope you and Briar are having a lovely day!

What treasure! Lovely Hannah Lynn, Miss shypagesniffer, has spoiled me with treasure! A beautiful parcel of 5 lovely books!

The VMC 30th hardcover edition of The Diary of a Provincial Lady - the PERFECT addition to my VMC 30th collection.
Three by my favourite author, Kate Morton: The House at Riverton, The Distant Hours and The Forgotten Garden. Time for some rereads!
And a charming book by Mindy Warsaw Skolsky, Love from your friend, Hannah and with a little inscription on the side cover revealing her as my VSS.

Dear Hannah, thank you ever so much for adding to this already wonderful Christmas season! A very Merry Christmas to you AND to everyone in this
wonderful group! ❤️ 🎄

Merry Christmas, everyone! I did all of my cooking yesterday, so today I can relax with the cats and open my gifts.

Many thanks to my Santa, Peggy (LizzieD), who chose some excellent books from my LT wishlist--and quite a variety, too!

The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan, a lovely hardcover
The Vagrants by Yiyun Li
Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden
The Summerhouse Trilogy by Alice Thomas Ellis

Plus a donation a donation of seeds for a family in the Congo was made to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance--a lovely thought at Christmas time.

Peggy, thank you for your wonderful choices. I'm really looking forward to rading them all soon!

Have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

Wishing you all a blessed and joyful Christmas season!

Thank you very much to my dear Secret Santa in Sweden aka Booktruffler. All gently loved books ...

A green Virago Phoebe Junior by Mrs Oliphant
Two with a Christmas theme Nancy Mitford's Christmas Pudding and Stella Gibbon's Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm.
Then there was an Orange Penguin by Dorothy Whipple's High Wages along with Keeping Up Appearances by Rose Macaulay.

Thank you again for your wonderful choices, generosity and thought .... Julie x PS Now I am off to enter them and tag them with ss 2014

Just returned to find an additional wonder in the box .... salted caramel chocolate ... how did you guess????

Just checking in here after finishing our family gift-opening. It's a joy to see all the delights people have received! I agree with >46 Soupdragon: about this group's amazing ability to find treasures for each other.

Merry Christmas all!

Opened my fourth and final package — it's Charlotte Bronte's The Foundling, one of her juvenilia, and I think it may be the rare piece of CB juvenilia that I don't have.

I'm still trying to figure out who my Santa is. I've got a letter from Santa enclosed, but no identification. I know you're from Ontario, Canada, so I'm going to try figuring out by process of elimination and I'll come back here and ask and see if I got it right.

Thank you again so very much, Santa, and especially for Janet Gezari's (>30 CurrerBell:) book on Emily's poetry, which was what I asked for in my letter to you!

All right, as far as I can tell, I think it's either SassyLassy (name?) or ccookie (Cathy). You're the only two who, as far as I can tell by the process of elimination, my VSS could possibly be. Either no one else on the list is Canadian or else she's already accounted for in the the thank you's above.

Any further hints?

ETA: And I checked further, based on your locations on your profile pages, and you both show locations that according to MapQuest are within about the same distance from the return address on your shipping box.

>46 Soupdragon: I was delighted to draw you, because I had ideas as soon as I read your name. It's lovely to be able to give the books you want others to love but don't know anyone who would understand except the lovely souls in this group.

Thank you Liz!!!

I have a positive embarrassment of riches.

Two green VMCs that weren't on my shelves - and they aren't easy to find:

Twilight Sleep by Edith Wharton - a book by an author I adore that has been on my wishlist for so very long.
Her by H D - which is so timely, because I have an autobiographical work by her life partner - Bryher - on loan from the library.

Four books from her part of the world:

Home Truths by David Lodge - who I have read before and am curious to read again.
The News Where You Are by Catherine O'Flynn - I loved her first novel and this looks very promising
Her People by Kathleen Dayus - Virago non fiction. I read this years and years ago; long enough ago that I don't remember it and can happily read it all over again.
Park Life by Kathararin D'Souza - I know nothing at all, but my goodness it's local to Liz.

Plus two Christmas ornaments and a PDSA pin.

Thank you again!

Doing this on my kindle fire tablet from which touchstones never work.

But I am utterly overwhelmed by my amazing book filled VSS parcel all beautifully wrapped by the wonderful Kaggsy/Karen.
I got:

Family circle by Mary Hocking I adore Mary Hocking so very excited about having another

In my own time green spined Virago by Nina Bawden An autobiography

Circles of Deceit by Nina Bawden also a green Virago (1990's edition)from my wishlist looking forward to it.

Crossriggs by Jane and Mary Findlater an original green and another from my wishlist it looks fab.

The small Widow by Janet McNeil a brand new book which I am hugely excited by it was on my wishlist and I had forgotten how much I wanted it.

The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr a Sherlock Holmes story (I adore Holmes) also brand new!

A small book of essays about bookshops: The Unknown unknown

I also received a very pretty notebook and a lovely V&A bookmark. I have been thoroughly spoiled!

Thank you Karen so much.

Edited to add touchstones

>52 CurrerBell: excellent detective work so far, Mike. Checking the address list, you are correct that it must be one of those two fine Viragoites. But which one? Hmmm ... such a mystery.

Rejoice! Rejoice!!
It sounds as though everybody is having a wonderful Christmas day. I'm glad, and I'm super glad to have found such a wonderful group of thoughtful book lovers who get how important books are! You are lovely, one and all!

>52 CurrerBell: .... it wasn't mmmmmeeeeee!

I can't seem to figure out who my SS was, but I got 4 Viragos, a hedgehog pinecone ornament, mixed chocolate and a lovely floral scarf as well as a very pretty card. You really outdid yourself because not only were they Viragos I was peeking at, but they all sound right up my alley!



Angel by Elizabeth Taylor, Our Spoons Came From Woolworths by Barbara Comyms, Hunt The Slipper by Violet Trefusis, and Marcella by mrs. Humphry Ward.

Thanks so very much!

Here's my sister Beth photobombing when I was trying to take a pic of my secret santa books!



EDIT: Also, here's my latest blog post if anyone cares to look: http://shypagesniffer21.booklikes.com/post/1070433/merry-christmas-big-haul-lots...

Gift # 6 - A mug and tucked under the raffia a coaster with a butterfly on it. The mug with a quote from Louisa May Alcott: “She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain." Chuckle! Can you be "too fond" of books? If so, I am in trouble.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Merry Christmas, Cathy, and you're very welcome! What fun it's been! 🎄

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

59> Ah, Hannah -- I confess -- I thought I had signed the card -- at any rate -- enjoy, enjoy, enjoy and Happy New Year!

Fleur, so glad you liked your parcel, and glad the Viragoes filled some gaps! I had fun choosing local books for you! And I'll se saying thank you to my Santa soon as we are on our way home now ...

Thank you to dear Lauralkeet for two beautiful Virago Greens both by EH Young, Jenny Wren and The Curate's Wife plus a gorgeous bookmark with charms dangling from it and multiple chocs. Treats indeed!

Santa Cookie, thank you so much for not one, not two, but three black VMCs, published by the wonderful but now defunct Lester & Orpen Dennys, right here in Canada. Santa checked my library carefully and introduced a new author. All three are Antonia White titles, including the Virago Modern Classic Group's signature Frost in May, a great title for my first year in this group, and naturally the first I will read.

Santa must have known I have a full house (couldn't get into the computer room yesterday to thank him properly as guests were occupying it), as included with the books were wonderfully indulgent treats for when the house sadly returns to normal and I sit back with warm spa treatments for hands, feet and eyes in mid winter. I also have great recipes from Santa's card. I do love to play in the kitchen.

Merry Christmas and Boxing Day to all the group, Santas and otherwise. I'm already planning for next year!

Off to feed more hordes now.

>66 SassyLassy:
I have only read Frost in May of those three that I gifted you and it is so well written! I now own a Black Dial Press copy and a later Green Virago copy. Still searching for an original Green Virago.

I look forward to reading the others in the series also. I own The Lost Traveller in a Black LOD and an original Green, The Sugar House in an original Green and a later Green and Beyond the Glass in a Black LOD and a later Grreen.

I believe I have lost my mind!

Before



The gifts proper



The "tucked under the raffia" gifts


The "tucked under the raffia" gifts

At last got round to posting some photos of my lovely VSS gifts:

http://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2014/12/27/in-which-a-variety-of-sa...

(plus other Christmas arrivals!) :)

So glad you like the gifts, Karen! And what a lovely haul of other book gifts too!

I have finally located the extra gift which had gone astray in the process of unpacking, so that will be on its way to you soon when I can get myself out to a post office.

And I have yet to report back after opening my own gifts:

There were four book-shaped parcels wrapped in lovely reindeer and robin paper - here they are just before being opened as I relaxed at the end of Christmas Day with a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine:



and here's what was inside:



I was delighted that Heather (souloftherose) was my Santa, as she is one of my oldest LT friends and I think the one I have met up with most often - I did guess Santa's identity because I recognised her husband's name on the back of a recycled packaging label!

As for the books, how lovely to have two Rumer Goddens (I think she has been the theme of this year's VSS). One VMC edition and one in a Pan edition which matches my copy of An Episode of Sparrows. The film of Black Narcissus was my indirect introduction to Godden's books for adults (I'd read her children's story The Diddakoi years before) - the film is wonderfully intense and melodramatic, I look forward to seeing how the story was originally written. And the title of The Greengage Summer has been so familiar to me for so long that I wonder if I read it many years ago - but as that has a film version too perhaps it was that I saw that.

Pomfret Towers adds to my growing collection of the new Virago Thirkells - I hope they will be publishing all of them in due course! And Heather must have checked my library carefully, because The Wings of the Sphinx is the next one to be read of the Camilleri Inspector Montalbano series, and fills in a gap because I have a couple more of the later books in the series but not this one until now.

So I'm very happy with my haul of books and now just need to force myself to take more breaks from unpacking and allow some time for reading.

Thank you Santa - and enjoy you reading everyone!

A picture of my lovely Vss - I've edited my post to add touchstones



and now I've blogged about my seriously big Christmas book haul

https://heavenali.wordpress.com/2014/12/27/christmas-book-haul/

>70 gennyt: That's so kind Genny - I am *more* than happy with my gifts already so anything else is a bonus! And it looks as if you had some treats to! :)

>71 Heaven-Ali: Glad everything arrived safely Ali - I *so* wanted to get you a Hocking you didn't have! :)

>7 booktruffler::
Truffler;
I am so very happy that you enjoyed your gifts. I certainly enjoyed shopping for you. Merry Christmas dear.
rainpebble/belva

I opened the last two of my many many VSS presents last night after we got home from our 4 day trip to spend Christmas with our granddaughters & the 3 littles. And what to my wondering eyes should appear but 3 more books from my wishlist:
The Breaking Point, The Rendezvous and Other Stories & The Glass-Blowers all lovely VMC editions by Daphne du Maurier, a great favorite author of mine.
The other was a very special book: The Oxford Book of Scottish Verse which I am thrilled nearly beyond words to have.
I am telling you CurrerBell is an absolutely wonderful VSS. Thank you Mike. I am so very happy with all of my gifts. I loved the article and thrilled to the hat.

The hat, folks, is the hat which Rod Steiger (I wish) wore in Doctor Zhivago. (from way back when dear, lovely Lara was being channeled).

So my VSS lineup goes like this:
By Rumer Godden: Gone: A Thread of Stories, Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love, Cromartie vs the god Shiva, Coromandel Sea Change, & The Dark Horse. Mike did perfect here. The author was on my wish list but not the titles.
By Daphne du Maurier: The Breaking Point, The Rendezvous and Other Stories & The Glass-Blowers; all 3 VMC that I have been wanting and which were on my wish list.
Living in the Maniototo by Janet Frame, which I had at one time but lost or left it somewhere unread so the perfect gift.
And last but not least The Oxford Book of Scottish Verse. This is THE PERFECT GIFT!

Thank you so much dear CurrerBell and thank you for letting the other girls & Brannie play also. I am loving my (only) Christmas gifts so much. Can't wait to read them.

>44 Stuck-in-a-Book: Simon, I am so glad you like your gifts! I must confess that I was startled to see that I had a Comyns that you--the Comyns Crusader--didn't already own! (Serendipitously, it was one of the books a friend had given me earlier this year for my birthday, so I had to read it immediately so that I could gift it to you!). The Gardam is the only new book, but I figured that the right previously-loved books are just as lovely. :)

Merry Christmas! xx

>70 gennyt: 'I did guess Santa's identity because I recognised her husband's name on the back of a recycled packaging label!'

Doh! Really pleased you liked them :-)