The Missing Christmas Gift

A Christmas Evening I Will Always Remember and Cherish Forever

The Missing Christmas Gift

It was Christmas Eve and it was time to wrap gifts. I had 7 pretty gifts that needed wrapping and I wanted to get them all finished by 3 pm because I also had to make butter cookies and a sour cream pound cake in addition to making my annual Christmas Eve dinner.

I headed to my bedroom and when I got there I went straight to my closet where my gift were stored. I took all 7 gifts out from the closet, laid them on my bed and spread them out to make sure that they were all there.

As I browsed over each gift I noticed that there were only six Christmas presents and I had bought 7. I immediately headed back to my closet to find the other gift, but to my dismay I did not see it nor could i find it. The most important gift of all was missing.

Carefully and slowly thinking back I went back to my bedroom closet and searched frantically to find the 7th gift, but it was nowhere to be found. I sat on my bed for a moment thinking back on the day that I put my presents away. Had I hidden the gift from myself and simply can’t remember where I placed it. My oh my. I was upset that I couldn’t think with a clear mind.

i keep asking myself – Where could the other Christmas gift be?

The Missing Christmas Gift

Since I was unable to find the missing gift I decided to wrap the other six Christmas presents hoping that I would remember where the other gift may have been. After I was finished wrapping all of my gifts I spent a few more quiet seconds in my mind and in my closet trying to understand what could have happened to the missing Christmas gift. I was still baffled at this point because there was still no thought or trace of that seventh gift.

Time was quickly moving on and I still had to cook Christmas Eve dinner for my family and a few dear friends. Preparing for the Eve of Christmas and all its warmth and wonder I hurried along with my dinner plans for my family.


It’s time to celebrate the love of Christmas while the missing gift is still in my thoughts

The Missing Christmas Gift

We were all super excited and could not wait for the Christmas festivities to begin in our home. I made a delicious dinner, baked a batch of moist butter cookies and a sour cream pound cake. I also made a basket of homemade dinner rolls to compliment all the flavors that helped make my dinner a Christmas feast my family would never forget..

It was six o’clock and the festivities were under way!  We happily started the festivities adorning our bright and beautiful red and green attire. We were surprised to see that it was snowing too!

The tree in our living room was brightly lit. Gifts were tucked underneath the tree, dinner was hot and ready to be served. Songs of the season were the perfect backdrop for a joyous holiday celebration. Dessert was lovingly spread out on the elegantly decorated serving table and of course we were elated for the sparkle of the night which has always been that special moment of our yearly tradition that the kids look forward to on Christmas Eve which is the one-gift opening moment!


After celebrating such a wonderful evening our home became a silent night

The Missing Christmas Gift

I must say that it was a miraculous evening as it always is. Even though I still hadn’t figured out what happened to my other I had a joyous time with my family.

By the time the night was done, my kids were in bed dreaming of Santa coming down the chimney, eating a warm plate of homemade butter cookies and a chilled tall glass of milk.

Feeling blessed, warm and renewed my husband joined me as I sat in silence with peace in my spirit. We had a conversation with thanksgiving in our hearts for each other, our children, our warm and loving home and most importantly Jesus. He has always been and always will be the Reason for the Joy in the Season.

Talking to my husband I mentioned the missing gift to him. I asked him had he seen it and of course I knew the answer before he spoke. He had not seen nor did he know anything about any of the gifts and honestly I didn’t expect him to.

Close to midnight, it was now time for hubby and me to go to bed and let Santa come in and do what he does best, delivering smiles to homes on this cold winter night.


We snuggled into bed and quickly fell sound asleep

Before I knew it our precious pearls, our sweet little kids came running into our room at the break of dawn.  I somehow managed to get up and embrace Christmas morning while my kids opened their presents. My husband and I also exchanged gifts.

After we all had opened all of our Christmas gifts I noticed that there was one gift under the tree that no one had opened. My husband went under the tree and grabbed the gift. He said, honey, this gift is for you. He handed it to me and said, open it. I surprisingly opened the colorful radiant red Christmas wrapping paper and was in awe of what I found in the small little gold box.

You see every year I treat myself to a special trinket at Christmastime. This year I decided to treat my husband to a special trinket which was the missing gift that I could not find in my closet. My husband took the special trinket that I bought for him and replaced it with a diamond necklace for me. Was I surprised? I was shocked to say the least. What a beautiful Christmas gift he had given me and he softly spoke and said, because you deserve it. Merry Christmas my darling were the loving words that he spoke to me. I’m still smiling.

Merry Christmas Luminaries

Cynthia

www.beautyandtheface.com

www.wreathonmydoor.com

 

King of Christmas Decorations

Get Ready Because Here Comes Christmas 2025

King of Christmas

7′ Prince Flock® Pencil Artificial Christmas Tree with 400 Warm White LED Lights

 

Hello Christmas Luminaries,

How was your Christmas in 2024? I hope it was filled with many blessings! My Christmas was lovely.

Anyone who. knows me knows that I adore the most wonderful time of the year. I am always thinking of Christmas. I say this to say that after the Christmas season ends I am on the hunt for any and everything that has to do with Christmas.

One of the best places to shop for high quality Christmas decor is King of Christmas. I absolutely love everything about this online store. 

They have great sales and amazing quality Christmas trees and accessories. 

If you’ve been thinking about buying a new Christmas tree to add to your Christmas tree collection check out King of Christmas! 

Let King of Christmas Help You To Create and Design A Beautiful Christmas Your Family Will Love

The after Christmas sale is here! Artificial Christmas Trees · Up to 65% Off Final Countdown

Shop now!

Decorate your home in beautiful Christmas style with elegant trees and decor. King of Christmas has some of the most stunning Christmas trees for your home.

Shop the sale!

Merry Christmas 2025

Love, Cyndi

www.achampagnechristmas.com

An Oxford Street Christmas

My Heart Will Always Belong To Christmas

Miles away from my childhood home, but always in my heart and home at Christmas. It’s an Oxford Street Christmas.

Growing up in West Philadelphia, I had the most phenomenal childhood .

I had amazing friends who easily became family. We loved each other with a love so powerful that it followed us into adulthood.

We played together 7 days a week and we went to school together enjoying every second of our time  creating memories that would last a lifetime.

Looking back on those glory days I smile. 

Reflecting on those beautiful days that changed my life I can’t help but think about Christmastime in my home.

My childhood home was spilling over with an abundance of love. I was blessed with 2 awesome parents who blessed our home with a whole lot of love.

Morning, noon and night I deeply felt their love permeating throughout our home.

A day did not go by that I didn’t feel the true love that my mom and dad showed me and my siblings. Home cooked meals, caramel pound cakes, an immaculate house and love constantly showed to our neighbors taught me how to love. I took that love with me when I got married. This kind of love can make an enormous difference when it comes to life and Christmas.

Being clothed with such warmth and comfort my parents made sure that my 3 brothers and sister had the most wonderful Christmases every year. Talk about the most wonderful time of the year, we had great fun decorating our home for the Christmas holiday. From the porch to the living room our Christmas decor was sensational and I mean spectacular.

I’ll never forget the one year that my sister and I decorated our 8 foot Christmas tree. It was gorgeous. Our neighbor, Rusty, came over to visit and he said he had never seen a tree that beautiful. It touched my heart that he noticed all the work that into decorating our Christmas tree. 

The Spirit of Christmas Lives in My Home

An Oxford Street Christmas

Now that I have a family of my own I make sure to keep the Christmas Spirit alive in my home.

My children love our Christmas decor. Every year I decorate with a special Christmas theme. My Christmas color theme for 2024 was red and gold. For Christmas 2025 my theme will be silver and gold with angels and gold reindeer if I can find them. I looked for them last year, but could not find exactly what I wanted. 

Every year I start out early in search of Christmas items that I want. I also shop early for family members. My son is a big time Lakers fan so I’ll be shopping for sales from the NBA Store. I always find great buys. 

My daughters and I also make plans to do create those very special memories that we can all pass on to their very small children.

When I tell you that I look forward to the Christmas Season it is because of the love that my parents blessed me with at Christmas and all year long. What a special time of year it was for me and remains to this day.

The Spirit of Christmas rests upon my heart and can be lovingly felt throughout my home all year long.

An Oxford Street Christmas of wonder and splendor!

Love, Cyndi

www.achampagnechristmas.com

www.beautyandtheface.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Sweet Potato Pie Ever

A Recipe of Sweet, Sweeter, Sweetness Called Sweet Potato Pie

 

The Best Sweet Potato Pie

The best sweet potato pie recipe is here!

My mother, God bless her, made a sweet potato pie that was too good to be true. She was the greatest cook and baker.

I watched her every move in the kitchen and remember every ingredient that lovingly went into that thick strong glass bowl each and every time she created deliciousness all throughout the year. 

At Thanksgiving I could smell those tasty pies permeating throughout our home. When they touched my tongue my tummy smiled.

Now I bake these same pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas. My husband and children love them.

Here’s the recipe.

  • Five large sweet potatoes
  • Butter
  • Carnation Milk
  • White sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Nutmeg
  • Ginger
  • Cinnamon 
  • 3 frozen pie shells

Christmas Friends I do not measure any of my ingredients. All I can suggest is that you use them to your liking, your own taste. 

One thing I can tell you is that I do bake my pies for about an hour. They turn out perfectly amazing every time. Brown and tan in color with rich velvety goodness define this heavenly warm slice of love.

Have yourself a very amazing Merry Christmas,

Cyndi

www.achampagnechristmas.com

Moist and Delicious Dark Chocolate Brownies

The Best Dark Chocolate Brownies Baking in the Oven
Desserts for the Christmas Holiday

One of the best desserts for the Christmas holiday is Ghirardelli brownies.

I am a brownie lover. Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownies are my absolute favorite. They are rich in dark chocolate and just plain mouth watering comfort food delicious.

When I first discovered these rich and moist brownies I went strictly by the recipe on the back of the box which is one egg, a quarter cup of water and a half cup of oil. This recipe was good, but because I love cake-like brownies I decided to change this amazing recipe a bit to my liking. 

Now when I bake the brownies I add two eggs instead of one. I also add a little more water and an extra teaspoon of olive oil. Olive oil brings out the dark chocolate flavor in these super moist brownies.

These brownies yield about 24 cake-like brownies depending on how I cut them vertically and horizontally.

Desserts for the Christmas holiday is something that my family and I look forward during the holiday season.

Every year at Christmastime and all throughout the holidays I bake 2-3 batches of these sweeties. My family gobbles them up in a day. 

I keep at least nine boxes on hand every year. This year I grabbed all nine boxes while they were on sale at Big Lots. 

My family always enjoy eating these brownies with a tall bottle of spring water. The two go well together but that’s because we adore water.

Should you decide to try these brownies, please let me know your thoughts.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone. 

Cyndi

Email: cyndisdesignz@gmail.com

www.beautyandtheface.com

www.everywomanslifelovingjourney.com

www.purplepaperpoetry.com

 

 

 

 

How To Have An Amazing Christmas

Tips to Have the Have the Merriest Christmas Every Year 

How To Have An Amazing Christmas year after year

If you love Christmas like I do, then you’re going to love these wonderful ideas that I have put together to help you to have the most awesome Christmas year after year. 

Let’s get started and glow your home for the holiday season! I want you all to have a housewarming Christmas!

Clothe your heart with love and embrace all the miracles of Christmas and be grateful.

First, let’s create a warm ambiance in your home and fill the space with comfort and joy! Choose any room in your home although your entire household will feel the joy and inspiration. I suggest a room that you and your family frequent the most. Maybe the living room or family room because they offer the most comfort.  

Surround your home with merry and bright everyday at Christmastime

How To Have An Amazing Christmas and be merry and bright

You do this by adding warm white lights that will make any room glow. These lights illumine and beautify your home brightening up the space you have chosen.

Take three lovely scented candles that will give off a soft glow when all the other lights are low which is usually when evening falls.

After slowly designing this space with warm white lights, sit in inspiration for a bit enjoying beautiful thoughts of Christmas.

And now…

Sparkle your space for the season with the lovely decorations you use in your home every year.

How To Have An Amazing Christmas

Now it’s time to add some real dazzling Christmas decorations to every inch of your designated room. Whether your decorations are old or new, they can always add wonder to any Christmas decor. 

Place your decorations throughout your room. Every time you look at your decorations they should make you smile. If you have a room spilling over with decor or just one or two pieces your decorations should remind you of all the laughter and joy that you enjoyed years past and to help you to create new memories present and days to come. 

Wow Your home looks and feels a lot like Christmas

You have truly created and produced some of the most stunning elements of Christmas throughout your beautiful and peaceful home it’s time to invite your closest friends over to your house for a delicious heartwarming lunch to celebrate this most magnificent time of the year. Christmas is wonder in a story and love in a place where love warms walls, lives, spirits and souls. The mind needs love too!

 

How to Have An Amazing Christmas with Family and Friends every year

The tender-loving space where Christmas dwells your friends enter into love. Dinner is hot and you know it’s delicious and your dessert will be delectable. Conversations will be Christmas as songs play in the background. Silent Night and O Holy Night will fill your hearts with more love and then age or time could destroy. Jingle Bell Rock will have your dancing on. your feet after dinner has been eaten and loved!

Throughout the holiday season you will enjoy everyday doing something new and different. Whether it’s treating yourself to quiet time or buying yourself a special Christmas gift, you are going to have yourself a very amazing Christmas. You’ll dance and you’ll sing. You and your family will create and share wonderful moments by baking together, crafting together and just doing more things together. 

Because Christmas is a feeling it blankets us with all the joy that this amazing feeling delivers to every inch and being of our lives. That special kind of joy comes from gathering with family and sweet friends. It also comes from sharing our love and spreading good cheer to those in need. It is a kindness that usually comes from knowing the deep meaning of Christmas.

And this, my Christmas Friends, is how to have an amazing Christmas!

Please come back for more ways on how to have an amazing Christmas.

Merry Christmas,

Cyndi

www.beautyandtheface.com

www.achampagnechristmas.com

 

 

 

The Meaning of the Christmas Tree

Hello Luminaries,

Today is Tuesday, December 10, which means that Christmas is only 15 days away! Are you ready? That’s my favorite question.

I’ve been celebrating Christmas ever since the 1st of October. Celebrating Christmas is one of my favorite things to do. I love it. 

I get to enjoy all of the festivities that lead up to Christmas Eve and day. The writing, the singing, dancing, baking and making plans to have a great time throughout the entire holiday season. I am all for it.

Being in a Christmas mood makes all the difference in the world in how we feel. Christmas brings a multitude of feelings that include joy, love, peace, good cheer and amazing home decor that warms hearts and home.

Thinking about holiday greetings, my Christmas tree and its gorgeous decorated I wanted to find out the meaning of the Christmas tree. I posed this question in my Facebook Christmas book and this is what one of my followers posted. This is truly amazing.

The Meaning of the Christmas TreeAs I dug deeper into the meaning of the Christmas tree I found this.

The Meaning of the Christmas TreeI hope you enjoy reading about the meaning of the Christmas tree and may you have a very amazing Merry Christmas.

Blessings,

Cyn

www.beautyandtheface.com

That’s What Christmas Means To Me

 this song says it all

That's What Christmas Means To Me

Oh how I love this song. That’s what Christmas means to me is that one song that I could listen to all year long. It’s a very special song. It is filled with love and emotion.

Christmas lights up my home and warms my heart. 

This Christmas song reminds me of why the holiday season is very dear to me.

I never tire of hearing this song time and time again because it is filled with every thing Christmas.

Here are the lyrics to this beautiful song. Sing along and enjoy it!

Oh, yeahCandles burnin’ lowLots of mistletoeLots of snow and iceEverywhere we goChoirs singin’ carolsRight outside my door
All these things and more (all these things and more)Whoa, that’s what Christmas means to me my love(That’s what Christmas means to me, my love) whoa, yeahYeah
And ya know what I meanI see your smilin’ faceLike I never seen beforeEven though I love ya madlyIt seems I love you moreThe little cards you’ll give meWill touch my heart for sure
All these things and more, darling (all these things and more)Whoa, that’s what Christmas means to me my love(That’s what Christmas means to me my love) oh, yeah, I
I feel like runnin’ wild (runnin’ wild)As anxious as a little childGreet you ‘neath the mistletoeKiss you once and then some moreAnd wish you a Merry Christmas baby (wish you a Merry Christmas baby)Whoa, and such happiness in the comin’ yearOh, baby (happiness in the comin’ year)
Let’s deck the halls with hollySing sweet silent nightFill the tree with angel hairAnd pretty, pretty lightsGo to sleep and wake upJust before daylight
And all these things and more, baby (all these things and more)Whoa, that’s what Christmas means to me my love(That’s what Christmas means to me my love) oh, baby, baby
Candles burnin’ lowLots and lots of snow (alright)Christmas bells are ringin’Christmas choirs singin’Christmas mistletoe
 

Merry Christmas Everybody

Cyn

www.beautyandtheface.com

 

Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

Christmas Blessings Are On The Way

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Have a holly jolly Christmas and embrace the season.

O Holy night the stars are brightly shining and we are in a real Christmas mood.

The first noel is playing in the back round and soon chestnuts will be roasting on an open fire in the backyard.

My family and I will be enjoying some homemade eggnog while we listen to Have a Holly Jolly Christmas. Guess what, we plan to do just that. 

Gingerbread cookies will also be baking in the oven as we wrap our Christmas presents. Christmas gifts will be under the tree at midnight on Christmas Eve.

Santa and his elves with meet the grinch at the North Pole and Mrs. Claus will make some hot cocoa for all as they get ready to leave the North Pole. Santa’s big red sleigh is loaded down with toys and all kinds of Christmas surprises.

Christmas is coming soon and we will be ready to celebrate and enjoy all of the festivities.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas and love one another.

Here’s wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season and have a holly jolly Christmas, it is the best time of the year.

Sincerely,

Cynthia

achampagnechristmas.com

www.beautyandtheface.com

The Christmas Eve Surprise

A Christmas Story About Santa and His Sleigh and Two Precious Little Boys

The Christmas Eve Story Filled with Fun and Joy

 

The Christmas Eve Surprise is a tale about Santa, Randolph and two precious little boys. It’s a special story packed with a ton of fun and a whole lot of adventure.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas is all around us. It’s an exciting time of the year. 

I want to share this Christmas story that I wrote last year especially for kids. It is the perfect Christmas story to share with your children or grandchildren. 

It is such a precious little story. Packed with adventure your children or grandchildren can use their imaginations and see themselves in this awesome Christmas tale. 

Turn off the television and all gaming devices and get ready to take a ride with Santa on his sleigh. You’re going to love everything about this story.

When Christmas Eve arrives gather around and cuddle into cozy with your loved ones and read this special Christmas story that they will never forget. 

You can click on the link below or read it from this page.

I hope you enjoy all of the magical moments found in this sweet Christmas story called, The Christmas Eve Surprise.

The Christmas Eve Surprise The Christmas Eve Surprise The Christmas Eve Surprise The Christmas Eve Surprise The Christmas Eve Surprise The Christmas Eve Surprise

I hope you and your loved ones enjoyed reading this cute little Christmas story.

Merry Christmas to you all,

Cyn

A Champagne Christmas

www.everywomanslifelovingjourney.com