IT'S BETTER TO GIVE.....

And we have plenty to give, even though we've cut back a little this year! Here's a picture I took of most (but not all) of the stuff we're taking back to the states. Most of this stuff is for gifts: wine, limoncello, olive oil, chocolates...and more chocolates. Nutella snack packs to go in the grandgirls gift lunchboxes, buccatini for our friend Jill who can't find it at her local Trader Joe's anymore. Italian language DVD's for my son and his girls, coffee, hot chocolate mix, some ceramics, more chocolate.

We'll use some of the olive oil and some of the pasta, as well as the parmesan and pecorino cheese I'm taking back, oh, and a jar of tartufi, and the artichokes Art likes.

I've ordered several gifts online and had them sent to my sister's house, and hopefully a stop at the Hard Rock Cafe in Rome will have something of interest for our grandson. I'll be busy wrapping as soon as we arrive in Louisville, then I'll have to rush to the Post Office to send my son's package to D.C. in time for Christmas delivery. At least I won't have to worry about fighting the crowds at the malls - I plan to catch up on movies while I wrap. Here's hoping your shopping is successful!