Posted on 12/14/2007 5:20:05 PM PST by snugs
How prepared are you for Christmas?
A lot of singles I know and who live on their own do not really do much for Christmas in the way of decorations or buying any special food etc for Christmas. A lot of them get an invite for the day to spend either with friends or family members and therefore their sole preparation is buying a few gifts for the people likely to be at this event and maybe contributing either monetarily to the host/hostess or taking a few food/drink items on the day. So as a single you think you are prepared and will not be caught unawares but you maybe wrong so I thought this weekend I would offer a few suggestions in order that we may not be embarrassed this year
Many stores in Britain and I suspect in the US have tins or large boxes/cartons of sweets (candies) or biscuits (cookies) only available at Christmas and Easter and many have offers on such as 3 for the price of 2 or a special price for buying 2.
A large tin of chocolates or toffees are always acceptable and even if the recipient does not consume them at Christmas often the best before will be Easter or even beyond, having a couple of these in the house can often be useful for that unexpected gift you get, such as a long lost friend or relative ringing and saying I am in your area today/tomorrow can I pop in and almost certainly they will have a card and a small gift for you.
Also if you do not use these for gifts at Christmas they can be used at Easter or for a birthday present next year. In particular Scottish Shortbread is a good one to give as this is a traditional Christmas/New Year treat.
Another idea is that there are presentation boxes of nuts and dried fruit they make a nice gift and again can be stored for Easter or given as birthday presents if not used.
If you are a baker why not make an extra batch of cookies or candies such a rum truffles or home-made fudge or toffee or even mince pies, keep a few little fancy cardboard boxes and some ribbon and they can quickly be used to create up a present for the unexpected visitor.
A tip also if you have been invited out for the day and you think you have the gifts thing covered in case of an unexpected fellow visitor why not take an extra couple of bottle of wine and bottle bags with you so that you can make the person welcome and they have as least one gift to open if present opening is part of the day's celebrations.
Thank you for understanding. What is so sad is that we got along so well, it was external stuff that came between us. But thanks for being tender hearted. It’s a difficult time right now, you’re right.
Is that your name? Our names are backwards of each other
Anybody who says "money can't buy happiness" has never been shopping with my daughter-in-law... :o) And, "amen!" on the 1:00 a.m. shopping, too!
With the birth of a nephew this year, I guess we'll change a bit in the years to come. I had planned this year to get him a picture of some kind of Louisiana scene. He's too young for a real kid gift at Christmas to have meaning, so I thought I'd get a painting or print that my sister could hang somewhere and let him take someday if he wanted it. I might get around to finding something of that nature, or I might just make a contribution to his college fund. I guess I'll be buying kid junk next year.
I haven't decided whether I'll be an online shopper or in-person shopper. If I get the painting, I'll get it at a local shop. If I buy junk like stuffed animals next year, I might order them online. Another option is buying plain white shirts and some iron-on print paper and making custom T-shirts for him. I have copies of some pictures that my sister has taken, and I could put those on the shirt. He probably wouldn't care much what's on his shirt, but my sister can use extra clothes for him and might enjoy the pictures that she had taken. Again, that's something that I'll worry about next year. Right now, I don't even know what size he's wearing.
Bill
If you don't mind being at work, that's a great deal. There are many people at the plant who love working overtime around the holidays because they make so much money.
When I was in college, I was a member of several evangelical churches, and some of them encouraged people to make journals of their devotional times. The idea was that if we just read the Bible without writing anything, we'd be more likely to read without thinking a great deal. If we took the time to make notes about the passages that we read and how those passages impacted us, we'd be more likely to learn and absorb the meanings. I have mixed feelings about whether the whole idea was all that effective, but I took some notes sometimes. I think I still have some of those notes packed in a box somewhere.
Bill
I'm sorry to hear of your loss. I just broke off a short-term relationship because I figured out that she (maybe even he or it) was just someone typing on a computer and trying to suck me into the Nigerian bank scam. She seemed to be the one I had always wanted, the one who might have made all of the years of loneliness not so bad. As it turned out, she was just a con artist going through another con.
Bill
Your pies sound very beautiful. Mostly, I'm impressed by the thought of someone making that effort to make something right.
My folks always visit me at Thanksgiving, and one year, we were at a botanical garden in Oklahoma City. Mom always wanted to get things for the neighbors who kept their animals, so we were standing around the gift shop. Dad picked up a brass chime bell and looked at it for a few minutes. He didn't really say anything and then went to sit down and wait for Mom. I went back the next week and bought the chime. When he opened it at Christmas, he was startled but pleased.
I remember that feeling incredibly well. I remember starting the quarter every September and realizing that I was on a college campus and had nothing that I had to do. I could take the time to walk around the campus, to drive to a local trail and hike, to walk to the student union building to watch people playing games, or whatever else came to mind. That feeling of being "caught up" generally lasted until my second day of classes, and from that day forward, I always felt the pressure of things that I needed to do.
When that last final was finished, I could relax. I could say, "Okay, for good or for ill, it's over." I can take a walk, a hike, go to the mall, or do whatever. I'd relax a little bit before packing to go home. That was a great feeling.
Bill
When I lived in Louisville, there was a family that used to bring me the Watchtower. On their first visit, the mother shepherded her two kids to the door but tried to let them do the talking. I took their literature, thanked them, and let it go at that. For the next visit or two, the mother came to the door with the kids, but afterwards, she'd wait in the car and let the kids come by themselves. I'd always take the literature and wave to the mom when the kids turned to go back to the car. I remember thinking, "Hey, she's now letting her kids come to my door by themselves. I guess she thinks I'm okay." I skimmed their literature, but I didn't fit their view of the world. However, I was happy that this lady decided that I wasn't such a bad guy.
Bill
LOL You might not enjoy the experience, but I'm sure you'd come out the winner of any fight that broke out too close to you!
I'm missing the same ingredient. :-(
That's a great dream. The funny thing is that I can imagine us doing something like that in real life.
I was confused for a moment by the similar FReepnames. LOL
Congratulations on being an uncle hope you get to see him over the Christmas period.
Sounds a great idea over the picture which is something he will grow to treasure.
Also the tee shirt thing sounds fund and something your sister would really enjoy.
I've thought about writing a little note to put in an envelope on the back of the picture. If I have time, I will. If not, I won't.
Sorry to hear that Bill be thinking of you
Thanks, it’s a disappointment. Strangely enough, she claimed to be living in England. I almost asked you to try to investigate a little bit.
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