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#Post#: 47969--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: gmatoy Date: February 27, 2020, 2:46 am
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In addition to the 10 I already reported on, I have another 70
stuffed. I'm on a roll!
#Post#: 47978--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: TootsNYC Date: February 27, 2020, 10:20 am
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I went to dinner with a cousin and his wife, and the wife told
me she had just finally used up the last of the toasted sugar
that I'd given to her and another woman in the family (the two
whom I thought might use it).
HTML https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/05/dry-toasted-sugar-granulated-caramel-recipe.html
HTML https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/11/how-to-quickly-toast-sugar.html
I had totally forgotten about giving that! And her comment made
me get sort of excited about doing it again. But I might not
want to wait for next year, so I'm saving my Starbucks
frappuccino bottles and lids, and I'm going to make some this
weekend and transfer it to small bottles to give people, just
because.
It was such a fancy-seeming thing, but it was incredibly easy
and ultra cheap--$2 for four pounds of sugar. The jars were the
most expensive part of the original gift, and they were $6 at
Target.
#Post#: 47980--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: TootsNYC Date: February 27, 2020, 10:21 am
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[quote author=Rho link=topic=1476.msg45191#msg45191
date=1578542896]
reusable shopping bags? I always carry one folded in my purse.
If a bagger at the grocery store wants to put chicken packages
in plastic bags and then inside my reusable bag I can say my bag
is washable. One of my pet peeves is why a bagger thinks I want
a reusable bag lined with a disposable plastic bag.
Anyhow I'm trying to tell you to make the bags washable.
[/quote]
I agree with washable, but I'm chiming in really late to say
that the reason the cashier is suggesting putting the chicken in
a separate plastic bag is because chicken juice may contaminate
other things in the bag, or other things the bag touches.
#Post#: 47981--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: TootsNYC Date: February 27, 2020, 10:24 am
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[quote]After all that shopping, I got on a bus and sat with my
candy cane ornaments, turning them right side out. Have most of
them done.[/quote]
I love being able to work on stuff like this on the bus or
train. (I can't do it on a plane anymore because the space is so
tight and the risk of dropping something and never being able to
get it again is too high.)
You've made some serious progress!
#Post#: 47992--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: TootsNYC Date: February 27, 2020, 1:06 pm
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[quote author=STiG link=topic=1476.msg46391#msg46391
date=1580342244]
[quote author=Kimpossible link=topic=1476.msg46252#msg46252
date=1580224496]
I'm itching to do some crafting. I don't want to buy any
crafting materials right now, but I have little odds and ends of
yarn in my supply box. I was thinking it would be fun to
practice some crochet stitches, and I have enough to make some
baby booties, little hats, etc. I mentioned in the other thread
that I've been putting little things away for the Christmas 2020
toy donation. If could find a few inexpensive baby dolls, I
could make them some home made accessories. I'm wondering if
that kind of thing would be appropriate for the toy drive in
December.
I've thought about making donations for actual babies, but my
supply is all regular worsted yarn. I'm afraid that it wouldn't
be very comfortable for a real baby.
[/quote]
If your bits of yarn are large enough to make 6" X 6" or so
sized squares, you can make a bunch of different colour squares,
either crochet or knit, and then join them together for lap
blankets for seniors or comfort blankets for any other group.
We have a group here in our area that does gifts for seniors at
Christmas.
I used to always make mitts for kids but someone told me that
it's better to donate more waterproof, warmer mitts. Hats and
scarves would be good, though. Not sure about knitted clothes
for dolls - kids are so conscious about having the 'in' thing
now that they might not be appreciated all that much.
[/quote]
I once met someone whose mother would use wool or cotton yarn to
knit her handkerchiefs or hand towels. She biked to get around
and carried one with her to wipe her face if she got sweaty;
they looked like a great washcloth/towel solution, actually. Not
terry cloth the way we're used to, but effective nonetheless.
#Post#: 48010--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: gmatoy Date: February 27, 2020, 9:41 pm
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Today I went to the huge Sewing Expo in Puyallup, Washington. I
had a blast. My DH took great joy in telling people that it was
the first time in 49 years that he got to "push me around!" (I
was in a wheelchair.)
I took a several hours long nap when we got home. And I still
got another 20 candy cane ornaments done. 40 more to do! And
then I will start to whip stitch them closed.
It was a very good day!
#Post#: 48103--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: Amara Date: March 1, 2020, 8:44 pm
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Today I firmed up a decision I have been wrestling with since
last Christmas (2019). As I think i wrote in here, I made up
gift boxes for my three siblings with 12-inch Christmas trees,
fairy lights, small/medium ball ornaments in their favorite
colors, a stocking filled with small practical gifts that suited
their personalities, and their one real gift. It took more
money, more time, and more hassle that I had imagined when I
began them around September, but I was excited to think about
their reactions.
To my great disappointment, two of them were dead silent. I know
they got the packages but I heard nothing other than from my one
sister who said they really liked them. That one sister,
however, was very excited. I received several emails about her
anticipation and then her reaction. She sent pictures of how she
set up the tree and decorations and the gift box.
While I firmly believe that giving gifts should be given without
expectations, I admit I thought at least I'd hear something
back. And when I didn't it began to bother me. I have gone from
"at least they could have sent a two-word email that said 'got
it' " to "what a waste." I have thought about it and my
reactions a lot because I don't want to make a decision as to
whether to continue the gift giving with them this year and
beyond on pure emotion.
Today, I seemed to have come to a decision. With my silent
sister and brother I will send a card. Nothing else. With the
one sister who did share my joy I will continue the gift
exchanges. She was very disappointed when in 2019 I asked her
not to send me anything. Despite difficult finances, she seems
to find the same joy in exchanging gifts that I do, and I was
very happy she loved the entire package. I feel good about my
decision. It is not cutting off anyone but sharing the joy with
those who also find joy in it. That will be my one sister and my
friends.
#Post#: 48781--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: gmatoy Date: March 16, 2020, 8:17 pm
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I now have 52 candy cane ornaments totally done. Between last
night and this afternoon, I whip stitched the openings closed. I
am now 1/3 done with the ornaments for this year! Color me
happy!
#Post#: 48799--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: Chez Miriam Date: March 17, 2020, 9:31 am
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Amara, I think you've made the 'right' decision - the one,
excited, sister clearly loved your efforts, whilst your other
siblings didn't like them enough to even say "I received your
gift". I remember a thread on the old site [I think], and there
was a clear distinction between the people who could see all the
love and effort that is poured into a handmade gift, and those
who were writing "why would I want this cr@p?; please only give
me bought stuff". Fair enough, everyone sees things
differently, but my husband is now a member of the "I'm only
gifting my efforts to those who appreciate it" club after total
silence from his brother about home-made liqueurs, jams and
preserved (in alcohol) fruit. I didn't want to say "I told you
so", but I did warn him that they may not appreciate his hard
work and thoughtfulness, and it pained me to see I was right,
and his [husband's] excitement at a thoughtful gift just sunk
away.
Now, we happily give to people who rave about our
liqueurs/jams/chutneys, and send a box of biscuits [cookies] to
those who never mentioned them.
I hope you are happy with your decision; I'm very happy about
mine/ours, and haven't once looked back with regret.
#Post#: 48814--------------------------------------------------
Re: Getting ready for Christmas 2020
By: Amara Date: March 17, 2020, 2:18 pm
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Mariam, what wonderful gifts your husband makes! (He can gift me
anytime. ;))
Yes, I am still happy with the decision. I just love the
holidays and all the excitement around it, and I enjoy
celebrating it with all the excitement of childhood, though I am
in my sixties. So to see someone love what you personally make
or put together just for them is so joyful. Though it hurt, it
is probably for the best that your husband learned how some of
his recipients felt about his efforts, and so in future he'll
know who loves his efforts. I think that will bring a lot of
joy. I know it will for me too.
That said, I have to confess the cats have bought their first
Christmas present for me. They evidently checked my bookmarks in
the "Buy" folder on the laptop and realized I had this glorious
Swarowski glass Eiffel Tower in there and bought it, then
wrapped it. I don't know where they have hidden it but I think I
will find it under the tree on Christmas morning!
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