Christmas approaches!

Last year I made every single gift I gave - the cushion covers, the real linen serviettes / napkins, the large hold-all bags, the wooden blocks, the old-fashioned photo albums, the Xmas stockings... Took a while, but it was fun! (Except that I seriously don't want to see another pink cushion in my life - last year's order was the result of a previous year's giving..!)

This year I haven't even started to think about Christmas, nor shopping, nor what I want to give to family. OK, I lie - I have one thing bought, but it has some extra-long distance to travel so had to be done early.

I do know a lot of stuff will be hand-made again this year. Not only is it unique, but it's person-specific, carefully thought-out, and usually cheaper (and less stressful) than trying to find stuff in crowded malls. Which reminds me - our upcountry annual visitors are probably going to start migrating here within the week and crowding out everything. I'd better go stock up on groceries so I don't have to brave them! :-)
Back on topic though. I'm going to be doing a bit more woodwork for the nephews this year (blocks, hand-cut and painted - and a farm building set if I can manage it). The older relatives I'm simply uninspired for. We've kinda decided on a frugal Christmas - we're all busy saving for one thing or another, two groups for Europe adventures nxt year. Christmas lunch is not going to be the coma-inducing food-fest it usually is, but rather something simple like a braai.

But to find something special AND frugal for those I need to give to?

Perhaps I should haul out the "green giving" article I wrote for a magazine that never published it, and knuckle down to it? Yup, I think I'd better. Hand-made does take a while....

-----------------------

On a related note, was wondering over lunch what kind of reaction I'd get from my fervently Christian brother if I invited him to a full-on pagan summer solstice celebration (complete with robes, incantations and candles), and then refused to celebrate a traditional Christian Christmas at his church... But that's just my wicked sense of humour kicking in, and I know he'd not be amused!!! :-) Won't go there, not even jokingly. Unless I want to be part of a demon-casting-out episode.