Soooo, the Christmas knitting is progressing.  I am working on the 9^th point of
Gwen’s dodecahedron star toy (Norah Gaughan’s “Celestine).  And the cashmere scarf I am knitting for
George (which I did not actually mention in any post prior to Christmas because
he is a dear man and reads my blog regularly!) is half-way done. 

I have been enjoying the Yarn Harlot’s page-a-day calendar
this year.  And I completely agreed with
her December 24th entry which declared that on Christmas Eve it is too late to
begin knitting a Christmas gift.  That
is, I agreed when I read it about 3:00 that afternoon.  Twelve hours later, I had a different
opinion.

We had attended Midnight Mass and welcomed in Christmas, had
sat about with snacks and perhaps a glass of wine, had toddled off to bed at
about 3:00 am.  And yet something about
the Christmas stockings was troubling me.

Sasha’s stocking was lacking something.

And then (at 3:00 am Christmas morning) I realized what was
missing.  There should have been a
hand-knit eggplant nestled in the top of her stocking.  I could see it in my mind.  Clear and true and jolly as the Ghost of
Christmas Present (which would have been the appropriate spirit under the
circumstances).  

So, I crept out of bed and fetched Hansi Singh’s Amigurumi Knits.  There on the cover was the eggplant of my
somewhat tardy Christmas vision.  Not
being entirely devoid of common sense (even on Christmas Eve), I set the book
on my dresser and crept back to bed – smiling because I knew that there was a
way.

You see, we were having a somewhat extended Christmas
celebration this year.  Sonja and her
husband Jordan were spending the holiday with his family in Oregon. 
And our Geoff was not returning from London until December 28^th.  So, we were holding off on some gifts – including stockings – until December 29^th.  I had days
to knit the eggplant!

Christmas Day:  I dug
around in my stash and found aubergine cotton yarn – as deeply purple and shiny
as an eggplant can be.  I played around
with green yarns until a mix of two held together seemed just right.  And for the next few days, I surreptitiously
knit the eggplant.

On the morning of December 29^th, a charming
hand-knit eggplant sat cozily in the top of Sasha’s stocking – much to my
satisfaction and Sasha’s delight!  The
Spirit of Christmas Present triumphs!