What a wild, wet windy day we have had over here on the edge of Suffolk. I thought the lovely mild weather we had been having was too good to last. We've really moved into Autumn and it feels like winter is on the way.
I spent the morning peeling and putting all the pears into the freezer, but my hand seized up before I could do more apples so that will have to wait. After the gales there are now plenty more windfalls to pick up.
I apologise to everyone who doesn't like the mention of the C word before December the 1st, but I can't see the point of pretending there is nothing happening on December 25th. Any sensible frugal person will have got quite a lot planned already.
To start with you need to know how much you are going to be able to afford to spend. Life will be much simpler if you can save a little every week/month and then if you see just the thing in the January sales or in a June car boot sale then you will already have some cash in the kitty to buy it. If the people you are buying for wouldn't like a present from a car boot sale don't tell them! and if you make some of the presents that you give, then leaving everything until December would be silly.
I have a note book that I started way back in 1979 that has the families names down the left hand side and the presents that we gave.It's moved with me 6 times, been hidden so the children couldn't find it and repaired with sellotape when it fell apart. It also has pages with lists of who we send cards to. I say we, but actually if Christmas was left to Him Outside to organise then not a lot would happen.
This year, I'm happy to say, lots of the spaces besides names are filled in already. His Brother and his Dad are my problems! I shall have to ask for suggestions.
The children moan at us for being difficult to buy for. I didn't think I was but its just because I hate people wasting their money on unwanted gifts. Take books for instance. Because we like books people think we like ALL books. But we have so many on the subjects we enjoy that we've been bought duplicates a couple of times which is sad.
"Smellies" are often given as gifts but apart from an unscented soap, shampoo and a moisturizing shower gel I don't use anything else so that's no good.
There was a time when we needed things for the smallholding but after 20 years here we have acquired everything we need.
I used to like cross stitch magazines and kits but the magazines are just full of ads and I have enough kits and bits to last me a lifetime.
Oh dear- the children ARE right, I am difficult!
The problem is that I like thinking of ideas for giving to other people but I'm not so good at receiving
What a miserable old woman I am!
( PS Lindt Lindor chocs are my favourites and we need a new microwave!)
