Everyone woman in my maternal family collects a particular item for her Christmas displays. My Mimi Collected Angels (which have since passed to my mother), My mother collects Santas, My eldest sister Tami collects stars, my sister-in-law Sophia collects snowmen, Lacey collects snowflakes, and I collect penguins. Being the youngest of the women in my clan meant that pickings were slim when I left home and had my own tree to bedeck. I feel a sense of camaraderie with the penguin for the ways in which we are alike: we are short, we are awkwardly built, and we are graceful only under certain circumstances. So, please expect to see lots of them each year in this gallery.

I have several dear friends that also collect penguins. This year Rox gave me two; this is the first.