How did your Christmas add up?

Christmas is past. Now it's time to get on to regular life again. However, I'm wondering what kinds of gifts were given this year?

What I gave is all very low-tech. No gadgets at all. I made breads, muffins, and lovely hot beverage mixes to give out. I got the two youngest grandkids a princess outfit and a Sesame Street indoor tent. They played with these two imagination feeding toys for all the hours I was at my older son's house.

Some folks gave the men on their list garage door openers and computer gadgets. Computer games and iPod "bucks" were also a big hit with the teens. My son-in-law actually got a new Foreman grill and a Veg-O-Matic, which was a throwback to the days when his mother had one.

People were using their imaginations more this year, I think, in selecting gifts. None of the usual socks and ties for dad and home appliances for mom.

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Alternative energy lighting

As you all know by now, I'm working and planning for the day when I can go off-grid or at least mostly off-grid. This means I've been researching various methods of alternative energy, collecting materials I can use for energy projects, and reducing my current pull on the grid in a number of ways.

Because I live in the country, I want to have something outside to light my way as I go to my car or when I come home from work, to get up my porch steps. So, I've looked at Kichler outdoor lighting and other sources to see about solar outdoor lighting. I have a few solar lights outside already, but they don't produce enough to depend on them for footing safety.

Until I find the lights I really want, I'll continue to work on the energy sources.

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Collected information

On my desktop I have a folder entitled "Homesteading". This includes a lot of stuff. Part of it is plans for solar and other alternative energy sources. Part of it is recipes that are pretty easy to make -- things like the master mixes are included. Part of it is actually homeschooling, which we did until the kids graduated.

I've got Lamar's e-books in there, gardening documents, etc.

You get the idea.

I'm kind of a pack rat when it comes to downloads and documents concerning homesteading and off-grid living. I've actually been collecting this stuff for several years, dreaming of the day when I could become more self-sufficient. We were nearly there when my husband passed away. We had milk goats, chickens, rabbits, and a very nice though small garden. We used propane for heat and for cooking.

Everything changed when I had to get a job to support myself and too older teen children. They were working, too, but only made enough to pay for their car, insurance, etc. with little left over for household expenses. Now, though, I'm finally in a position to be able to pull back some from my full time job and focus more on changing my lifestyle to the one I've dreamed of for years.

I'd love to hear from my readers about their adventures into this simpler lifestyle, if you're going that direction.

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Christmas parties

I am not attending parties this year. There really aren't that many going on and I usually have to work anyway. I even have to work on the night our store is having our party, which means I won't be attending. However, since they are catering catfish dinners to that party, I'm going to ask someone to at least bring me a plate of it!

If something came up, I'd probably have to go shopping for women's dresses. I have a "little black dress" but I've lost a lot of weight and it hangs off me terribly. I do have a few dressy tops and skirts, though, and those would probably do for the kinds of events we'd have around here.

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Finalizing Christmas

How is your Christmas coming together? Mine is coming along, but I feel like I'm still pretty far behind in getting everything done that I'd planned.

I will be giving gift baskets I've put together this year. I am only planning to give to family members. There are a lot of folks I'd love to give things to, but I just can't do it financially. I certainly hope they aren't offended, and if they are then they are really missing the true meaning of Christmas.

Some of what I'll have in the gift baskets includes date nut bread, granola bread, artisan yeast bread, chai tea mix, and hot chocolate mix. I also have some yarn projects to finish up which include crocheted or knitted cotton dish cloths and winter scarves made from homespun. These projects take the longest and I do hope I can get them done!

I will probably put hand made skin cream in the baskets, too. It all depends on finances and time.

I feel like Alice's white rabbit right now.

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Spending much or spending wisely?

It occurs to me that a lot of people really do spend more than they need to. I don't know if it's because spending more makes them feel special, or they just want some kind of bragging rights to purchasing a more expensive item. This happens in tangible goods and in intangible goods, such as insurance.

I am here to say there is nothing wrong with cheap auto insurance. Compare prices and coverage when shopping for insurance of any kind. If you're like me, and your vehicle is over 10 years old, you probably don't even need collision insurance. After all, a damaged fender might cause it to be totaled by the insurance company because the cost of a new fender is equal or greater than the total value of the vehicle.

The same philosophy applies to all areas of shopping. Buying the most expensive isn't the same as buying the best of anything. It only means that you've spent more money, and who really wants to do that in today's economy?

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Hand made gifts

I am going to have to do some shopping soon after payday. I want to get the ingredients for Chai Tea, home made lotions, home made salt scrubs, and home made bath salts.

I also will get some fiber projects on the needles and on the knitting boards for gift giving. I might even bake some artisan breads to give for gifts.

This is going to be the kind of giving I'll do this year. None of it is expensive. But I will need to dedicate some time to get it all done. The gifts are made with the love I have for the receivers, which will make them be light work.

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