Christmas puzzle

I love doing the Christmas puzzle. I don't do other puzzles, but like all things Christmas, it is a challenge. A way to make that time between Christmas and New Years feel somewhat productive.

The last few years we struggled to find good puzzles. We have exacting standards. They must be 1000 pieces, why bother with anything less. They must have Christmas theme and they must be done before school begins or Epiphany at the latest. If at all possible, they must be Springbok puzzles. Hallmark carried them since time began but due to some shifting and corporate by-outs ( I think Subway owns them now), they stopped having them. We had to do inferior puzzles but I found them on the internet and we are back in business. I picked this one because it was pretty. Oh, well, I am glad it is a challenge. I have a picture of the box and our current progress. Should be interesting.

I find I do lots of thinking while I am working puzzles. It is good to look at something a long time. A chance to digest it's intricacies and it's detail. It is good to know that sometimes you have to change how you look at things and leave a frustrating situation for awhile and look at it again. It is important to keep an open mind. Sometimes pieces surprise you and fit where least expected. The star in the middle is a good example. I was heartened that M-E took that one first thing.

I guess 2005 will be the year of the challenge. The seemingly impossible challenge.