I love giving gifts to people that celebrate or reinforce their identity or creativity. This morning, Maria and I had breakfast at Jean’s Place (which Kelsie’s mother Kelly owns), and I got to give the right gift to the right person.

I’ve come to know and appreciate Kelsie; she is a major presence at Jean’s, someone described her as doing social work as much as cooking or waiting tables.  She serves love and community along with pancakes and egg n cheese sandwiches.

She gave a woman coming in a bear  hug this morning, saying, “Hey, good to see you, you haven’t been in for a few days, I was getting worried about you.”

Kelsie has always struck me as a fiercely spiritual and creative presence, she has a lot of personality, and a great big heart.

I love the photo I took of her one morning at the diner in her Wonder Woman costume, my photo hangs on the diner wall. There is a Wonder Woman inside of Kelsie, and a warrior as well.

She loves the boots Maria wears, I heard her say she’d love to have boots like that, and I decided to try to make it happen. I went on the British website where I got Maria’s very colorful and artsy boots as a gift and saw a new model of the boot called a “Spiritual Warrior.”

That seemed to fit Kelly to a T, so I ordered it (Maria loved the idea) for Christmas, but it just came in yesterday.

The shoes are designed by artists in England and made in China. It takes a while to get here.

Kelsie was just amazed and delighted with the boots, they are not just a gift, I think, but an expression of the fierce spirit inside of her.

I was thrilled to see how much she loves these boots when you get to give someone something they would never get on their own, but that speaks to them in this way, it’s a lift.

Maria’s clothes – all of them patched together from discarded clothing except for some new leggings and slouch hats – reinforce her identity as an artist and free spirit.

I think Kelsie’s boots will do the same thing for her. What a pleasure it was to see the smile on her face. I brought Robin a copy of Robert Frost’s poems; I just have a feeling it will touch the poet in her.

I loved this Christmas, I’m finally figuring out how to do it. Like Zinnia, I want to be a joy spreader. After breakfast, we brought Zinnia into the restaurant. She was completely at ease, calm, happy to greet people and also to sit by me and take in the scene.

I hope everyone reading this got gifts that spoke to who they are.