Doing your bit this Christmas?

Baking. I give lots of friends my home baked cookies and they know that if they want the same next year, they'd better give me the tray back to reuse!

I saw a great little video on youtube on how to make christmas ornaments by using leftover textile scraps and since the granddaughters will be here next weekend, we will he doing that. At least it keeps the scraps out of the landfill a little longer

 

I agree @redstar we are very careful all year round too, sadly some manufacturers try to make it much harder for us during the run up to Christmas. They all compete with each other in attempts to catch the eye of the buyer for their products by making packaging unnecessarily sparkly and garish.

Ultimately non recyclable!

 

@CanadianLori , did you look at my link on brilliant ideas on recycling Xmas cards, lots of good ideas there for your granddaughters.

 

I remember one Christmas, my husband's nephews had given us a list of really expensive items they wanted, I think we got them one each. Anyway, after they opened up their gifts, they played with our sweet GSD Thompson the next 4 hours. He was always good with kids, even tumbling 9 year old boys.

 

On the issue of money versus gifts. My first mother-in-law would buy me a gift at Christmas, she'd say, I saw this, thought of you, know you'd like it. And she was correct. As she got to know ME. My second mother-in-law always gave money in a card in an envelope. I knew she did not seek out to "get to know ME", from other examples along the way. I guess what I am saying is sometime if the gift really shows you thought of that person, what they like etc., that can also mean sometime special.

 

Agree adults are so much easier. As I said my Dad is the only adult bought for in our family ,as he is so old and has gathered so many interests in his long life he is easy to buy for. All other adults stop buying for each other as our own children came along.

 

The Christmas card swap in our office has changed a lot over the years. When I started 12 years ago, I got around 30 cards, and felt obliged to write as many- to people sitting right next to me

Nowadays most people bring in a treat, or one big card, and donate the card money to a charity. I think that's really nice, a win-win for the environment and for the charity without losing the feeling of remembering your lovely colleagues.

This is my annual contribution of Finnish gingerbread, I try to make personalised ones but unfortunately anyone with a name that begins with a S or B will get a standard one until my icing calligraphy develops that far. Might take some time, or wine

 

Wow @Selleri those are really nice. I struggle with the decorating part of cookie making. I watched a youtube video or two on how to. I'm really impressed with the precision of your dots and stars!

I got so frustrated one year that I just wrote "bite me" on the gingerbread men!

 

Mmmmmm......they look fabulous @Selleri . I absolutely adore gingerbread.

 

Thanks @Upsydaisy I tried to PM some to you but got a bounce message "the recipient doesn't accept cookies" ok, sorry...

 

Oh I do, I do!! ( a bit of an Abba moment there!...) I've altered my settings now @Selleri ...all cookies are now gratefully accepted.

 

Had my three youngest granddaughters here for the weekend. I taught them how to sew some nice Christmas ornaments that include a hanger that has a place to attach a stick of cinnamon. They look and smell nice We sat around the kitchen table and wrote some Christmas cards to members of our military. The address starts "Any Canadian Forces Member" and they are sent to personnel who are away from home over the holidays.