THE BIGGEST JOY FOR ME NOW AT CHRISTMAS IS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE..... NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL THE GIFT..AS LONG AS IT IS SOMETHING GIVEN WITH THOUGHT.
WE ARE AT THE STAGE WHERE WE GIVE OUR CHILDREN MONEY SO THAT THEY CHOOSE WHATEVER IT IS THEY NEED/WANT AND WHEN THEY NEED/WANT IT.
AS FOR OURSELVES WE NO LONGER GIVE EACH OTHER GIFTS JUST BECAUSE ITS CHRISTMAS.....IF WE SEE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE OR A TREAT WE MAY LIKE TO HAVE...WELL...WE JUST GET IT AT THE TIME!!!
ITS REALLY NICE TO KNOW SOMEONE WELL ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW WILL BE APPRECIATED. UNFORTUNATELY FOR MOST PEOPLE ITS A CASE OF SEARCHING TO FIND SOMETHING AND USUALLY AT THE LAST MINUTE.
APPARENTLY THE FOLLOWING ARE THE TOP 5 MOST UNWANTED GIFTS.
1 UNATTRACTIVE SOCKS!!!!
2 CHEAP PERFUME/BOXED GIFT SETS THAT ARE OVERPRICED FOR THE CONTENTS.
3 PERSONALISED HANKIES. FOR HYGIENE REASONS PEOPLE RARELY USE THESE NOW.
4 EXECUTIVE STRESS TOYS....YES THERE REALLY WAS A BANANA SHAPED STRESS SPONGE!!!
5 HOUSEHOLD GADGETS....THOSE TIME SAVING THINGS THAT NEVER REALLY DO AND JUST FILL UP YOUR KITCHEN CUPBOARDS GATHERING DUST!
ALONG WITH.... XMAS TREE EARRINGS (ACTUALLY THEY ARE USEFUL ONE DAY A YEAR)...AND THE ANNUAL DANIEL O DONNELL CD!
ITS A REAL SHAME THAT SO MUCH MONEY IS WASTED ...BUT AT LEAST E BAY DOES SOME ROARING TRADE ON BOXING DAY!!
ANYWAY..TO MAKING YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS PRESENTS......
ITS NOT ONLY A GOOD WAY OF SAVING MONEY..ITS ALSO A GOOD WAY OF MAKING SOMETHING TO SUIT THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE GIVING IT TO YOU.
LAST YEAR, HERE IN FRANCE, OUR NEIGHBOURS CALLED ON CHRISTMAS EVE BRINGING GIFTS OF HOME MADE SWEETS AND HOME GROWN PLANTS. IT WAS REALLY LOVELY THAT THEY HAD TAKEN TIME AND EFFORT TO MAKE SOMETHING FOR US. WE IN TURN MADE SHORTBREAD AND CHOCOLATE FUDGE FOR OUR NEIGHBOURS, THE MAIRIES OFFICE AND MARTINE WHO WORKS IN THE POST OFFICE.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE SOMETHING PERFECTLY CRAFTED BUT I DO THINK IT IS MUCH MORE APPRECIATED WHEN YOU HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO DO IT YOURSELF.
THE FOLLOWING IS MY START OF GIFTS FOR THIS YEAR....
OF COURSE I COULDN'T POSSIBLY REVEAL AT THIS STAGE WHO THEY ARE FOR!!!!!
I HAVE MADE A TRIO OF HEARTS FILLED WITH LAVENDER,(LAVENDER HAND PICKED IN THE SUMMER) COTTON NAPKINS WHICH I DECORATED USING DYLON FABRIC PENS, RASPBERRY RUM, BLACKBERRY VODKA AND LAVENDER MASSAGE OIL.
I ALSO INTEND MAKING SOME IRISH CREAM WHISKY.....A HOME MADE VERSION OF BAILEYS. THIS ONLY KEEPS FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS IN THE FRIDGE SO IT IS BEST TO MAKE IT JUST BEFORE GIVING.
THE RECIPE IS AS FOLLOWS...
LARGE TIN OF EVAPORATED MILK
LARGE TIN OF CONDENSED MILK
GLASS OF WHISKY...LESS IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT TOO STRONG
TEASPOON OF GLYCERIN
1 TABLESPOON OF INSTANT COFFEE DISSOLVED IN 2 TEASPOONS OF WATER.
MIX ALL IN A JUG THEN TRANSFER INTO BOTTLES.
IT IS BEST TO USE SMALLER BOTTLES BECAUSE IT WILL NEED TO BE USED UP IN THE 2 WEEKS AND NOT MANY PEOPLE WANT TO DRINK IT EVERY NIGHT FOR 2 WEEKS!!!!! ITS GREAT TO GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO YOU KNOW WILL BE ENTERTAINING A LOT OVER CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR!
I HOPE YOU ENJOY MAKING AND GIVING YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
No comments:
Post a Comment