Unboxing Presents from Finland!

Earlier this week, I received a package from my friend, Alicia (misshoneybug).

I knew that the package was coming; my friend already told me beforehand about sending it over. But since I had been expecting it for a couple of weeks already, I couldn’t even begin to tell you how excited I was when I finally received it.

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Alicia hails from Finland, and has been a loyal reader of my blog since almost the beginning of my blogging routine.

I still remember it clear as day when she first wrote a comment to my short story, “Komorebi”. For someone who just started blogging back in the day, receiving a comment or two really meant a lot to me (and it still is, even now!)

Fast forward a year later, and I’ve had the opportunity to send her a humble package containing my third book, Maybe Everything, back in November. She even kindly wrote a review of the book on her blog. You can check the aforementioned review here.

Since I jumped into this whole blogging bandwagon without expecting anything from it, this had turned out to be quite a surreal experience to me. Not only did I get my book travel to a country I’ve never even set foot into, I also gained a new friend in the process of consistently publishing contents on my blog.

With that being said, she intended this package to be some sort of her “reply” to the one I sent several months ago.

Now I’ve received permission from her to unbox and show the contents of the package in this blog post, so please bear with me as I show you some of the cutest, most adorable things in the world I have received!

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The very first item that I could immediately discern was this cute paper towel and lip balm.

I really dig the design of the paper towel, to the point that I feel it’d be a waste to use it! The paper towel base color is red, and it has this tree-like pattern that was printed in gold, with strokes that branch out from the trunk and end with white dots on the edges.

I know Christmas season is already over, but that’s the kind of vibe I’m getting from the paper towel. I definitely love the design, and I’ll make sure to use it!

Also, there’s this strawberry scented lip balm in here, which I desperately need since I’m about to run out of the one I’m currently using. I didn’t tell her that I’m in need for one, obviously, but the gift is spot on!

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And I can’t believe what she also included in the package: two different flavored tea!

Now if you’ve been following me on my blog, you would know that I really enjoy my tea. In fact, I wrote a blog post about how drinking tea has been one of my writing rituals! Thank you for being so thoughtful, Alicia!

Unfortunately, I can’t really read the texts on the packagings, so I had to rely to Google Translate to guess what flavor each tea is. And if the translation is correct, the tea in the blue paper bag is a strawberry and ice wine flavored tea, while the one in the orange box is sea buckthorn tea.

Very interesting picks! I’ve never tried either of them, and I have to say I’m really eager to try as soon as possible! I think I’ll do a taste test with my tea drinking buddies this weekend, and will save them to use as my pre-writing elixirs.

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Some other really adorable things included are these keychain and charm!

Do you guys understand just how excited I am with these cute charms? I mean, the ink-dipped fountain pen nib keychain is super spot, since I’m an author. But the other charm really hits the spot for me.

Just in case you couldn’t see it clearly due to my horrible photography skills, the charm is basically an open book, with a stabbed heart on top of it—bleeding to the pages. This reminds me of a famous writing advice by Hemingway, saying: “All you have to do is to sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”. Only instead of a typewriter, there’s this book.

I find this to be very clever, since all artists know that in order to create something powerful, we have to put our hearts out and bleed all over our artwork.

As an icing on the top, there’s this pair of pins with pretty designs. I especially love the quote on the lower pin: “Sail with your head up high.”

I would definitely stick both of them on one of my tote bags!

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There’s also this cute pouch; a souvenir from Mexico that Alicia asked her mom to get for me. (To Alicia: Please extend my gratitude to your mother as well! It’s so sweet of you ❤️❤️❤️)

The pouch features a lovely family standing in front of a structure that looks like Chichen Itza. Or maybe it is Chichen Itza. I apologize if I guessed it wrong in advance.

In any case, I really love the color palette used for the pouch design. Definitely going to use this daily as well, perhaps as a coin purse or something.

The present on the back looks like a small ring box made from wickered rattan / other plant-based material. The top part of the box is crowned with three full decorative roses in red, pink, and blue colors respectively.

I don’t know what I’m going to use it for yet, but I really find it adorable!

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Alicia also said in her letter that she included something “handcrafted”. And judging from the packaging alone, I think this should be the one. After all, Alicia had always told me she loved my short story, “Komorebi”.

Oh. My. God.

To give some context, this is the definition of Komorebi: the interplay between light and leaves when sunlight shines through trees.

Inside the neatly wrapped envelope was a sheet of watercolor paper, cut into a bookmark shape and size. I’ve always known Alicia to post some really gorgeous paintings on her instagram account, but I’ve never imagined she would actually make something this breathtaking for me.

I mean, just look at the colors!

The attention to details!

I don’t know about you, but this gorgeous bookmark thing is definitely my favorite gift from the bunch! As an avid reader myself, I’d definitely be using this bookmark for my next reads!

Thank you so much, Alicia! You just made my week a lot brighter than it was. I hope I didn’t miss anything else that you handcrafted. Now please excuse me as I return to my room and continue admiring the heartfelt presents!

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I post new contents here every Saturday. This includes writing tips, reviews on writing/reading spots, short stories, poems, personal essays, and more. Keep yourself updated by following me on Twitter and Instagram!

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Where to find:
Goodreads | Gramedia | Gramedia Digital