Happy New Year

Happy Solstice everyone.  

Making the holidays simpler

This morning I finished wrapping gifts to mail away for Christmas. It's a little early even for me but it's one of those tasks I don't enjoy. No big lines at the post office here yet.

Shopping for some family is trickier these days. I plan a budget. My sisters and I are all downsizing and don't want anymore "stuff." We are all committed readers so books are good. Trouble is if I find one particularly good book, I buy one for myself.  The grandkids are mostly older teens with four younger ones. Some are budding artists so I give them packages of art materials which I would have killed for when I was a kid. Bi-mart has become my source of less expensive art supplies for kids. Better prices than most places. I'm excited they have some gifts in that direction. The art and music programs in the schools have had severe budget cuts. I get them gifts that they can "do" with and don't need batteries.

Eldest son put his Christmas tree in his 4th floor apartment window this weekend. Yes, that's Godzilla on the top.  He shops the thrift stores for small trees each year. Here's this year's find.

My holiday thinking starts when eggnog shows up in the grocery. I put in it my coffee.  I haven't bought it for awhile because here it only came in too large for me quantities.  But it appeared in the little 16 oz. bottle in my grocery. Maybe Walmart had it but I don't go there often especially in December. Sometimes here I have trouble getting my favorite tea (pictured behind) Celestial Seasons Mandarin Orange. My sister Pam sent me several boxes for my birthday this year. Walla Walla is a small rural demographic, some grocery items are surprisingly hard to find. There's lots of wine and touristy shops downtown.  

 

My special Christmas decor is around the nativity I got at The Grotto in Portland, Oregon.  I haven't gotten it out yet. I have a pre-lit small treet too. I use the decorations I collected over the last 50+ years including the dime store Angel tree topper my first husband and I got for $1 for our first tree together. She's a little tatty but she's been on every tree I've had. I'm going to use all my teddy bear ornaments this year. My last remaining uncle and aunt put up a small tree that she made the ornaments for and a menorah in the window that their sweet daughter-in-law brought them from Israel. 

What's your favorite holiday custom? Mine are all covered in memories.