We have gradually scaled back our Christmas giving over the last couple of years. I no longer send Christmas cards except in special cases where I need to write a note to someone, or a thank you. Other than that I e-mail greetings individually or phone people I really care about.
For immediate family members that we see on Christmas day or around the holidays, I took two days off work and made edible gifts this year. I recycled Christmas baskets we recieved last year or the year before, found a few items at dollar stores or goodwill (candy dish for mom, wine cork trivet for wine collector brother) a few weeks before and then filled it up with stuff I made on the last two days.
I became interested in raising goats on BYH and then that morphed into being interested in soap on BYC. So I made some homemade soap and everyone got a bar. I also gave some of my homemade laundry soap to family members, to my daughter and sister with the recipe, and to my mom with a promise that she can have more whenever she needs it. I decorated the containers (also recycled) that I gave them the laundry soap in. I know that sounds trivial but the equivalent in store bought laundry soap would cost more than 10 dollars and I like this kind much better.
I put our beautiful farm fresh eggs from our chickens, the soap, banana nut bread, strawberry jam and homemade almond roca in the baskets along with a little hand painted watercolor in a simple frame I did for both my sister and my mom of places we liked to go together and the trinkets I had collected for each one.
I feel really good about this year's gifts.
For my two sons at home who are teenagers, we gave them checks to spend at the store at the sales. The stuff they need and want is marked down ridiculously right after the holidays and I told them they are old enough to understand they will get more for their money if we waited a few days. This was not thrilling to them but builds their character, and on Christmas day they had gifts and goodies from my mom who is generous and gives each one a couple of things.
This was a rather stress free way to handle the holidays for me, I think I'll plan to do the same next year. But I've learned alot on these computer blogs from all of you and I appreciate it!
and took lots more time and thought than a bunch of cr-P snagged off of a clearance table on Black Friday!
