Christmas Heidi style

In these tough economic times, it only makes sense to try to cut back a little bit this Christmas. Luckily, things have been working out pretty well on that front.

First off, my extended family, who get together every Christmas Day, collectively decided not to do the adult grab-bag gift exchange this year. I'm a little sad about this because I actually enjoy Christmas shopping and picking out gifts for people, but then I keep reminding myself that it's saving me about $30. So that's good. As for the kids in that same group, I have never been expected to give them gifts, but most years I try to do a little something for them. It is usually something homemade, or an inexpensive trinket. This year, however, my idea of some personalized candies fell through, so I am making the tough decision to not get them anything. I would bake them some cookies (and still might change my mind), but my Mom has also decided to scale back, and she will be giving the kids either some tasty baked goods or popcorn-ball snowmen. Our Christmas party will be a little bit different this year without the massive gift exchange portion of the night, but I am sure the spirit will be there all the same.

As for my immediate family, I have decided this year to do a photo collage project for each of them (Mom, Dad, brother). The only thing that actually needs to be purchased for these gifts would be the frames, and I ended up getting some inexpensive ones from Target. Score! I am super excited about these gifts especially, because making them is going to be just as much fun as giving them. And that is saying a lot because I am fully expecting tears on Christmas morning.

What about everyone else on my list, you ask?? COOKIES!! The last few years, I have baked about a metric ton of cookies, and this year will be no different. Recession or no recession, cookies are a must-have for me. I think I've decided on 8 different varieties. Some of which are old favorites I've made a thousand times before, some are newer favorites from the past couple years, and some are recipes I've never tried before. My Mom and I are getting together this Saturday for a bake-a-palooza in her kitchen and I could not be more excited. TO BAKE! Yes, you can call me a nerd if you want. I don't mind. :) But chances are, if you know me, you will have the opportunity to try some of my home-baked yummies at some point this Christmas season.

So that is my grand plan for saving a little moolah this holiday season. No mall madness for me. No trendy gadgets, expensive doodads, bingle balls, whofoo fluff, goowho gums, whiffer bloofs, wuzzle wuz, snaffer snoof, dang-donglers, bizilbiz or wums!

to tree or not to tree?

Christmas is my absolute favoritest of holidays. (Look, I just made up a new word!) But every year, I am encountered with a dilemma. Do I decorate, or do I not? I spend Christmas Eve and Day (and sometimes the following day) at my parents' house, and they do the whole tree/decorations/twinkle lights thing, so every year I ask myself if it is worth the time and effort to decorate my own apartment.

Three Christmases ago, I lived with a roommate, and he went out and bought us a live tree, which we set up in the living room. I dragged out all the decorations I had collected during my years of working in a gift shop, and our place ended up looking pretty festive. But the next year, no tree, and minimal decorations. (Perhaps the lack of tree was due to the fact that after the first Christmas, we were remiss in our duties to dispose of the tree in a timely manner. Our eventual tree disposal method involved several garbage bags, a small saw, and my roommate's trunk.) That was the last Christmas I had a roommate, so when the next one rolled around, I was even less inclined to get a tree because I'd have to do the whole thing myself. And I lived in a 4th floor walk-up. Alone. With no good spot to set up a tree anyway. That year I didn't even bring out my pink Rubbermaid boxes full of decorations. As a matter of fact, those pink Rubbermaid boxes of decorations spent that Christmas in my family's basement. So very sad, it was.

But this year. THIS YEAR, I am living in an apartment that I am enamored with. Yes, I do still live alone, but it's much easier to imagine decorating when you love the place you live. I have a spot in my living room that I think would be perfect for a tree. It would require minimal rearranging of furniture (just a chair and an end table), and would be out of the way, yet in a highly visible location. I would still have to lug it up many, many stairs (What is it with me and the 4th floor?) and would probably need help with that and with setting it up in the stand. But this year I am seriously considering going all out with the decorations. Even though nobody will be seeing them but me. :)

As a side note, my apologies to Thanksgiving, which tends to get the shaft most years. If it makes Thanksgiving fans any happier, I am keeping my pumpkins and gourds on display through the end of November. :)