Christmas morning in my household is always special, and this year was no exception. My husband and I started the day with a big breakfast for the three boys—a beloved tradition. (For those new here, my boys are my subs, all adults.) The kitchen was filled with the smell of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and of course, lots of spiked morning drinks. I’m a coffee-with-Kahlua kind of woman, while the boys love Bailey’s Irish cream in their coffees or hot chocolates.

After breakfast, we gathered for presents. It’s a very intimate time for us. We open gifts one at a time—the giver presenting it to the recipient, who takes their time opening it, appreciating it, and offering thanks. With five of us giving to one another, this process can take a couple of hours, but it’s worth every moment. The dogs always go first, tearing into their gifts with pure joy.

This year, everyone truly nailed their gifts for me, but the most special was something thing2 made. It was deeply personal, intimate, and filled with thought and effort. While I’m keeping the details private, I will say it brought a tear to this Domme’s eyes. I was genuinely touched in a way that doesn’t happen often.

As for the favorite gift I gave, that honor goes to what I gave thing1. He’s been in my service the longest and rarely takes personal time, but I recently learned his granny has been diagnosed with only a handful of months left to live. He hasn’t seen her in over a decade because she lives overseas. His gift was round-trip airfare so he could spend time with her and his family. He leaves tomorrow morning and will stay for a week or two to say goodbye to his beloved granny.

Knowing thing1 as I do, I understand this will be difficult for him. He’s an introvert, and such emotional moments can be overwhelming. To support him, I’m sending thing2 along to keep him company and offer support. I’ve also given thing2 strict instructions to pull the ripcord if things become too much—he’ll come up with an excuse for why they need to return early if necessary.

It’s been a day of love, gratitude, and connection. Wishing all of you the same this holiday season.