Home Sweet Simple Home
Making notes and thinking on
I have been quite busy making notes and thinking and dreaming up Christmas items today. I don’t want to shortchange Thanksgiving but in order for me to maintain some slight form of sanity I must begin the Christmas preparations. I usually start mapping out and planning at the end of September, although I am taking notes all year long when stuff pops into my head.This year we must be extra-creative due to our extreme budget constraints. We are blessed too, that we’ve been able to shrink the gift giving list. My family (brother and sister) have asked that we forgo the gift exchanging between siblings and their progeny. Praise God. My parents started a new tradition last year of asking us to use the money we would spend on their gifts to purchase gas/gift cards for the needy families within our church family. We give to the families anonymously but do let my parents know who we chose. Last year we gave a gas card to an older couple that needed to drive back and forth each week to doctor appts and dialysis treatments.
This year:
w I need to come up with 4 different homemade ornaments for the ornament exchange (instead of present exchange) for our homeschool group.
w A small special gift for my secret homeschool mom.
w A make and take craft for 26 kids- again another homeschool group project.
w Even though we won’t be exchanging gifts with my family- I will make Santa Trail Mix for everyone. [Now a standing tradition]
w My MIL hasn’t given us the names for the children gift exchange for Christmas. It’s enough to make my eye begin to twitch- the not knowing so that I can be planning . . . . that’s 3 gifts for 3 I-Don’t-Know-Whos
w For our own little family- we do the 3 gift exchange
w Special little gifts for Sunday School teachers and such
I am sure I’m forgetting something or someone . . . . which reminds me that I am thankful for my gift closet- although right now it needs a bit of replenishing. But just looking at this list makes me sigh. I am so thankful we’ve been able to pare it down this year. Not just because of finances but because I want the hush of CHRISTmas- not the rush.
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3:00 PM, 2007-Nov-16 .. Posted by gabbie427I am making alot of my Christmas gifts this year, so I have already started as well.
it is funny to hear of someone else who has a gift closet. LOL I fill mine throughout the year from sales and dollar stores and when someone shows up unexpectedly, then I can run in there, throw it in a gift bag and I am ready to go!
Holiday gifts
5:42 PM, 2007-Nov-17 .. Posted by AnonymousI don't know exactly where you fall on the crafty scale -- but Sew Mama Sew (put it google and click on the blog) is giving a month of tutorials for Christmas gifts, There are all kinds of GREAT things there even for a novice seamstress.
Heather (www.barefotinthegarden.typepad.com)
Thanks
8:40 AM, 2007-Nov-19 .. Posted by YPAmy5Heather- Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.
I don't sew much at all but my oldest does!
Thanks a bunch-
Amy W
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