Just thought this quote would inspire and encourage. "Thrift
is the really romantic thing; economy is more romantic than extravagance...thrift
is poetic because it is creative; waste is unpoetic because it
is waste...if a man could undertake to make use of all the things
in his dustbin, he would be a broader genius than Shakespeare."
G. K. Chesterton, What's Wrong With the World Chapter IV
The Romance of Thrift - Noelle Allison
My family started this years ago. We are a large family and had
trouble instituting and sticking to the $10.00 or one gift rule.
So we made new rules. Everyone got everyone else a gift, except
you're not allowed to buy it. We have even more fun now on xmas
morning than ever. We keep all the regular trappings of baking,
carol singing, tree trimming, great food, and visiting family.
We think all year and are always on the look out for something
you didn't buy and can give as a gift. For us re-gifting is de-rigeur!
Also promos, giveaways and other freebies all make an appearance.
Gifts are found, made, or passed along. It allows children, teens,
adults, and grandparents to try and be creative and give meaningful
gifts. The exchange of gifts becomes much more significant as
all the gifts are literally priceless. On xmas day it seems the
best gifts are given by those with the least ability to buy, children
and low income, and therefore the most accustomed to being creative
and seeing the value in objects that can't be bought. - Ian
Buchanan
I haven't bought anything for Xmas for many many years, including
cards, and keep urging friends to do likewise. I absolutely hate
the meaningless hype at this time of the year and the waste of
resources that goes with it, food included. Instead of taking
part in all the consumerism, perhaps people should dedicate some
of their spare time over Xmas (and hopefuly throughout the year)
to help local communities and animals (who incidentally get more
abused at this time of the year than at any other) or do something
constructive for the environment. A sigh of relief to find there
are some intelligent, thinking people out there, so do indulge
in buying nothing! All the best - Hella, UK
My grandmother used to make boxes for small gifts out of old
cards. I loved these. She would also take styrofoam balls and
cut small pieces of fabric and apply them to the balls to make
ornaments. She also made peanut butter balls and cheese balls.
My family used to always wrap gifts for anytime of the year in
the comics pages from the newspaper. - DeShea
I would like to share with you a little song I made up: On the
last day of Christmas Jesus came to me, and whispered in my ears,
"That's not what I meant." I like to sing it to my husband while
driving through town. - Vivian Phillips, Bermuda.
