Cookies, Hot Chocolate, And A Christmas Poem
One of our special Idaho friends is a  talented man in woodwork, leather, welding, knowledge of rocks and minerals, and cooking, but especially in friendship and kindness.  We REALLY like him!
I had made some Hungarian cookies for Christmas.  One two inch circle of  rolled cookie dough receives a teaspoon of jam,  is immediately topped with another two inch dough circle, baked, and then dusted with powdered sugar!
When we called him to set up a time for cookie delivery, he suggested we top it off with some hot chocolate at his home on Christmas Eve. Enclosed in his Christmas card was a touching Christmas poem about SPECIAL friendship.
 
When another family joined us at his house, he asked the man to read the poem out loud to all of us.  It was a touching moment, indeed. There's something about Christmas Eve that seems to get right into the fibers and sinews of our emotion and spirituality.
While family is the MOST special, no question, friendhip is up there also in terms of precious possessions!

"I have a list of folks I know, all written in a book,
And every year at Christmas time I go and take a look.

Never think my Christmas cards are just mere routine,
Of names upon a Christmas list forgotten in between.
For when I send a Christmas card that is addressed to you,
It's because you are on that list of folks I am indebted to;

For you are but a total of the many folks I've met,
And you happen to be one of those I prefer not to forget.
And whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some way you have had a part in shaping the things I do.

And every year when Christmas comes I realize anew,
The biggest gifts that life can give is meeting folks like you."