Wow, that was close.
I nearly poured this combo* of rum and brandy into my coffee whereas what I was needing was whiskey. Fortunately I caught my error before the coffee went into the cup.
*one of those slightly cheesy seasonal combinations at the liquor stores for eggnogs, hot toddies, et. al. with low alcohol content and quality. not my style but a cheap method to spice up the coffee …
I've just completed my alloted 15 minutes of holiday stress; your mileage may vary.
Normally I exchange gifts with one person. Small gifts limited to three or four and always including a new calendar, the "featured" gift. Because come midnight of the new year, the old one's no good.
This year for reasons unspecified, the recipient number is three.
Still only a few small gifts per recipient.
And still again, it added to the creative project.
I'm a girl on a very tight budget. And I didn't want certain individuals to do without because I am without a job.
Frugality. Creativity. My mantras. Also Gifts of the Heart. If it didn't meet that standard, that question posed to each potential purchase or creation, it didn't go.
Music is at the top of the list. I sifted through the library CDs and borrowed to accommodate varying musical tastes.
This required repeated library trips to return these CDs I burned and obtain others because there's a limit on how many you can have checked out.
Now, this project's not entirely free; there's the costs of the blank CDs and the paper for the CD covers and the ink. Still, more economical than buying from the store.
After burning them, I made the CD covers, images downloaded from the Net, and the playlists, printed out and trimmed to fit. That's a bit labor intensive.
Then — and this I've been doing for years, no relation to employment status — I make my own wrapping paper.
I get tissue paper, usually from the dollar store.
I go online for images and Christmas clip art, giving thought (of course) to the gift and person and occasionally coordinate the gift with image. Not obviously so.
Download the graphics, resize to fit the gift, cut and trim and tape or glue to the packages. Since childhood, I've been a big fan of collages and being creative with ribbon, textures (i.e., yarn) and colors — creative exercises and expressions.
So each wrapping is original and unique and, really, part of the gift.
It is labor intensive, yes, but acts of love; no quickie wrap wrap wrap tape tape tape.
So, while I don't spend a lot of money — and won't add to people's stuff, I see no cause for it, so each gift is carefully considered and I tend to go for those homemade or "disposable" (i.e, nice bars of soap) — just as much time is given to creating the wrapping as in the thought and shopping.
I know I'm a freak of an American but I'm OK with that.
Anyhow, one of the consequences of not having a job is I never know what day or date it is.
And earlier today someone told me the date. And I went: "Whoa!!! I better get those gifts in the mail!!!"
It was a bit of a push but they are on their way.
And here's a bonus: The old corner drugstore has a tiny postage corner in the back. I arranged my visit before people got off work. Had all of one person in front of me and a 2-minute wait.
That is the extent of my holiday rush.
Next order of business: Christmas cards, which I make . (Can't remember the last time I bought cards, 25 years ago?)
I send to a small select group, no holiday obligation from me, see no reason for it. I don't have my Christmas card concept yet; am thinking something along the lines of the Metallica black album with a simple word or graphic. Because the economy and employment figures are just. that. bad.
(was summer i lost my job, here it is winter and still nothing. ow. painful seeing it in print.)
Shoot, now where'd I put that rum and brandy, screw that! whiskey?
Barefoot Blogger 