Secret Santa, Anthrax, German Customs and one thoughtful idea. 

This morning I picked up my Secret Santa's gift at the local post office. While handling the parcel over to me, the postal clerk warned me there was sand trickling down out of the box. Remembering that Anthrax would rather resemble white powder I recklessly accepted the consignment and took it home.

After having left a trail of sand from the post office to my place like Hansel and Gretel in the dark forrest I was surprised to still see sand trickling down.

Apparently sending a box of sand also raised the custom's attention. Here's the little bumper saying, that the German state has already had a little look. Thank you, Mother Merkel for taking care of me. However, given the weight of the parcel this must have been a pricy joke (if it is a joke) considering the shipping costs. Who and why on earth?

Bursting with curiosity I eventually opened the box. More sand. But also a letter.

"Hello from a poor Floridian who wanted to participate in Secret Santa! Unfortunately I wasn't able to put much in, but you get some coal in case you weren't too good this year! I know you like to travel, so hopefully one day you can reunite our sand with it other grain buddies! I work at dunkin donuts, so this year, your elf on the shelf will be popping out of a box of munchkins aka donut holes. Sorry for the poor gift, but I hope you like it! - Secret Santa - "

I haven't received Christmas presents in a while after being considered an adult. So finding myself with curiosity and smiling on this letter brought up some belated Christmas spirits I haven't had all December.

Mystery solved. Unfortunately a jar broke on his journey and released its content, sand, basically all the way from the US to Germany.

My Secret Santa was right. I love travelling, I do it as often as I can. My grandparents and parents have always encouraged me to do so, as they had been hindered to leave Poland (where they're from) during the Communist regime. From every journey I bring back a little bit of sand and shells (or rocks and dried plants). What a surprise to receive a thoughtful gift like that from a complete stranger. Maybe it's not uncommon to collect sand, but again having in mind the shipping costs to provide such gesture, the mere idea touched me.

But there was more:

Vegetable soap wrapped in a music box, ...

...An "Elf on the Shelf", ...

... Coal in case I have been naughty, which is far better than being punished by Santa's servant Ruprecht, who in German folklore would punish naughty children by putting them in his sack. :-) However, there was still the broken jar and one lovely idea I needed to preserve. ...

So I found an empty jar, gathered up all the sand and shells into it.

And that's how my Secret Santa's thoughtful gift will accompany me on my shelf throughout the year.

Remember the Elf on the Shelf?

I found him an airy spot in my place. :-) Elf-tax if you like.