I really don’t like all of the Christmas decorations showing up before Thanksgiving!

I don’t know about you, but holidays have been stretched out WAY too long!  Every holiday occasion now seems to last weeks, and sometimes months.  It really seems to take the special out of it.

I don’t do a lot of decorating for Christmas.  It is just the three of us, and we don’t really entertain for Christmas, so it just doesn’t make sense.  And I really don’t like taking the decorations down after Christmas, so there is that.

That being said, I do try to think ahead a little for Christmas.  Not for decorations, and not so much for shopping.  What I do like to plan ahead for is to try to make gifts for family and friends.  Some years I don’t manage it, but I do try, and it is a wonderful tradition!

Sometimes it is some type of food item.  Sometimes it is soap or lotions.  And sometimes it is something else.

Whether it is all homemade, bought, or a combination, I love to put together gift baskets! I try to make it personal for the recipient, and I like to make the “basket” a part of the gift.  Sometimes it can be a beautiful storage box, sometimes it can be galvanized metal, storage cubes – get creative!

If the person likes to cook, add a few special utensils, maybe some homemade seasoning mix, present it in a pot or bowl.

If the person likes popcorn, buy a variety of types of popcorn, maybe make some different seasonings.  You could even make some popcorn balls, or kettle corn.

Coffee lover?  A selection of coffees, some homemade creamers, a couple of coffee cups/mugs (check out the thrift stores/flea markets for some unique ones).

Do they like chocolate?  Make a variety of types of fudge!  Heaven!

The key to remember is to think about the person’s likes and interests.  Then try to come up with some smaller things (homemade or bought) that would go together.

Maybe I’m just getting old, but I really don’t need a lot of purchased things.  I think there are others that think the same way.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could get back to the true meaning of gift giving, and especially the true meaning of Christmas?