I doubt you'll be shocked if I open by saying the economy is not faring so well and retailers anticipate the worst holiday season on record.
Kind of depressing, particularly for a gal who loves to shop. The holiday spirit, though, isn't exactly about ching-chinging cash registers or piles of shiny 'things' under your tree.
Some of the best and most memorable gifts you can give to those you love are free. And can be priceless.
Kind of depressing, particularly for a gal who loves to shop. The holiday spirit, though, isn't exactly about ching-chinging cash registers or piles of shiny 'things' under your tree.
Some of the best and most memorable gifts you can give to those you love are free. And can be priceless.
Let's brainstorm a few - give hope to the cash-strapped and creativity to the clueless, before a Christmas carol even hits the airwaves this year.
I'll start. Last year I gave Bradley something that has become a year-round hit. If you've spent anytime around us, you may know that he says some utterly ridiculous things just to rile me up. Or make me laugh. Or maybe because he's an utterly ridiculous guy - who knows.
I kept a tiny notebook in my purse last fall and secretly wrote down every crazy thing he said from the moment we got married in July until Christmas Eve. (There were some crumpled receipts, napkins and deposit slips involved as well.) I bought a navy leather journal and wrote out every crazy conversation for posterity's sake. He LOVED it!
Perhaps five months' distance allowed him enough time to forget what he'd said, but the book of Bradley-isms provided us a thousand good laughs. I now have a Word documenting recording his crazy 2008 antics as well. An update is definitely necessary this Christmas - and totally free. Our grandkids will have quite the time reading this book, I assure y'all. I promise you a peek next time you swing by, too.
(Going back a little further, I think I started the "free gift" thing on Valentine's Day the year we were dating. I took some large white cardstock, punched holes in the corner, and tied together a collection of "coupons his favorite treats. An hour of his chosen manly TV shows with no heavy sighing, a Get Out of Jail Free card (no apology required), an action/adventure movie, a load of folded laundry, a dinner at his favorite burger joint, you get the idea. He was amazed. And promptly forgot to use most of them, thankfully for lazy ol' chick-flick-loving me.)
So now I'd love to hear the best priceless presents you can remember. Memorable doesn't always equal jewel-encrusted, you know. (I mean, sometimes it does. But not always.)
Can't wait to read your ideas.
Happy Halloween, by the way. You know I'm a planner - got to start this chat early!
I'll start. Last year I gave Bradley something that has become a year-round hit. If you've spent anytime around us, you may know that he says some utterly ridiculous things just to rile me up. Or make me laugh. Or maybe because he's an utterly ridiculous guy - who knows.
I kept a tiny notebook in my purse last fall and secretly wrote down every crazy thing he said from the moment we got married in July until Christmas Eve. (There were some crumpled receipts, napkins and deposit slips involved as well.) I bought a navy leather journal and wrote out every crazy conversation for posterity's sake. He LOVED it!
Perhaps five months' distance allowed him enough time to forget what he'd said, but the book of Bradley-isms provided us a thousand good laughs. I now have a Word documenting recording his crazy 2008 antics as well. An update is definitely necessary this Christmas - and totally free. Our grandkids will have quite the time reading this book, I assure y'all. I promise you a peek next time you swing by, too.
(Going back a little further, I think I started the "free gift" thing on Valentine's Day the year we were dating. I took some large white cardstock, punched holes in the corner, and tied together a collection of "coupons his favorite treats. An hour of his chosen manly TV shows with no heavy sighing, a Get Out of Jail Free card (no apology required), an action/adventure movie, a load of folded laundry, a dinner at his favorite burger joint, you get the idea. He was amazed. And promptly forgot to use most of them, thankfully for lazy ol' chick-flick-loving me.)
So now I'd love to hear the best priceless presents you can remember. Memorable doesn't always equal jewel-encrusted, you know. (I mean, sometimes it does. But not always.)
Can't wait to read your ideas.
Happy Halloween, by the way. You know I'm a planner - got to start this chat early!
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