Am about to fall asleep because yay painkillers, but I decided to open my parents’ care packages because I was like “dammit I need something happy right now.”

Of note:

• Christmas wrapping paper that have images of cute brussels sprouts in top hats (Brits will understand why this is Christmas paper)
• My parents always send me a calendar, and this time i will spend 2016 staring at cute Highland coos. (One of my fave memories of isle of Skye is feeding carrots to the shaggy cows.)
• A gorgeous Mulan ornament (that will go so nicely with my Mushu shoe ornament!)
• Handcrafted “set” of the The Princess Bride dvd, the original novel by William Goldman, and Cary Elwes’ book, As You Wish.
• Lots of dvds (mostly documentaries about Disney – parks, history of the animation, music for the films, etc. I don’t know if my parents are trying to send me a hint or just want to ensure that if we ever go on a Disney cruise again, we’re not going to lose so abysmally during the Disney-centric trivia games.)
• Lots of treats! Tea and sweets, mostly. I know Minstrels are nothing special – I think it’s the brand we call “Dove” here – but I have yet to find an US equivalent, so I love it when my parents use those as “padding” in the box. (Also Curly Wurly – just chocolate and caramel but still, no US equivalent. Candy is the best padding tbh.)
• Big Hero 6 figurine set. Fun fact: my parents always send me a figurine set for Christmas, usually Disney-related. 
• Plush Minnie Mouse doll in her Christmas outfit. This genuinely made me go “awwww” and feel a little emotional because when I was a kid, we had a Mickey and Minnie plush doll set that would sit under the tree, and I remember playing with them ever since I was tiny. So it’s like I can create my own little tradition (I actually think my parents still have those dolls).
• …yeah it’s a lot of Disney, isn’t it? I still think of myself as a vague, casual fan, but Disney holds a lot of important family memories for us. (Which is why I’m half convinced my parents will tell me to start planning a trip next year or something.)
• Oh, and not in these boxes: the annual Barbie ornament, shipped directly from Hallmark since Mum couldn’t find one near her.
• …I swear I’m a grown adult. I swear.
• …but it’s nice to feel like a kid again at Christmas, even if you’re spending it alone. Or especially if you’re spending it alone.
• Aw, I’d start tearing up, but man these pain killers are great and I feel awesome so now I’m going to nibble on some chocolate and fall asleep to whatever schlocky Christmas stuff I can find on Netflix or Hulu, since BFQOTY hasn’t aired yet and that’s my favorite holiday thing to watch. OMG I just looked to see if they’d have an additional anniversary BFQOTY like they’ve had the past few years and discovered that not only will the holiday BFQOTY have Richard Ayoade (my favorite) but the second post-New Year’s quiz will have Noel Fielding and Ayoade back together again. I CANNOT WAIT.
• …ok maybe this isn’t such a terrible Christmas after all…