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Sunday, December 13, 2015

HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS

Hello dear friends!  Staying dry?   I can't believe it!   We actually had a thunderstorm today.   If I had known it was going to be this mild, I would have planted more lettuce!   I suppose we'll merrily glide along this winter with balmy temperatures and on the first day of spring we'll get a blizzard.   It never fails.   Winter always does show up.   I just discovered one benefit of snow, it brightens up the short dark days.   I feel as though we are living inside a coal mine these days.  Now I understand why the Druids brought evergreen boughs into their huts.   Anything to add a bit of cheer.

Here's a bit of greenery I made for our side porch:
A wreath I made from the rosehips I gathered this fall.   More and more I find that I want to decorate with handmade items and less store bought things.  It's funny, but when you are young, you want so many things, but as you get older, the less you want.  I was watching an old TV program the other day and one of the characters summed it up so well.  Happiness is within oneself.  It isn't what we have or how much we have that counts,it's how much of what we have that we actually enjoy. It's a gift to enjoy what you have, even if it is meager, and to share it.  I was reminded of this the other day when I saw the uproar on social media about a woman that posted a picture of her Christmas tree stacked to the top with presents.  I really have to wonder how many of those presents her children will enjoy.   After a while too many things becomes tiresome, like eating too many Christmas cookies.  The first is good, the second is nice, but by the time you bite into the third one, well, you start to feel a little ill.

IT"S ALL ABOUT THE PRESENTATION

Speaking of Christmas cookies, I've discovered that any cookie recipe becomes a Christmas cookie, if you frost it and add some sprinkles.
Put them in a tin with a doily or tissue paper and you have yourself a gift.   Long ago I learned presentation is everything.  I never spent much on presents, but taking care  in wrapping them and tying  on a nice ribbon (bought at the thrift store) impressed people. If you are going to be thrifty, you have to be clever!  A mug of hot cocoa is extra cozy if you add whipped cream and crushed candy canes (free from the local Santa).
Bonus points if your mug has a Grandma Moses illustration on it! (Or whatever you love)


CRAFTS

Another homemade item that says "Christmas"  are homemade pomanders.  
I make a few each year from those oranges that get shoved to the back of the fridge and aren't discovered until they have become wizened.   All you need is a darning or knitting needle and some cheap whole cloves from the dollar store to make them.  Just poke holes in the rind and poke the cloves in.  Then just let them set out until the dry and harden.  I make a few each year, and store them in a plastic bag in the attic.   I also add dried oranges, pinecones from the yard, star anise and cinnamon sticks to the mix.   Boy does it ever smell wonderful!   They never seem to lose their scent.

CHRISTMAS DECORATING

I finally got my nativity set glued back together.  It is one of the focal points of our Christmas decor.   The stable was built by my grandfather during the Depression from scrap lumber he had lying about his farm.

Growing up, it had celluloid figurines from Woolworths that my grandmother had painted, but eventually they all broke and had to be replaced.   We were always allowed to play with the creche.   It's a wonderful way for children to learn the Christmas story, acting it out with the figures.

Years ago, I used to spend days decorating for the holidays but now I just do little touches here and there like this tannenbaum candy mold hanging from a ribbon with a sprig of red berries.
And I place small nativity sets and angels   here and there; reminders of the spiritual aspects of Christmas.


HAVE FUN

Another homemade decoration is paper snowflakes.  Here's  how to fold and cut them:

Step 1:  Fold a regular sheet of copy or writing paper to make a triangle, like this:

Cut off the excess paper at the top and save for making lists.

Step 2: Fold the paper into a smaller triangle.
Step 3:  Now take one corner and fold the paper to the halfway point of the triangle.
Step 4: Fold the other corner to match the edge of the fold on the other side.
Step 5:  Now cut across the paper at an angle.
You'll have this shape:
Step 6:  Cut shapes along all the sides.  The more shapes you cut the lacier your snowflake will be.
Step 7:   Unfold and behold! you have a snowflake!

This was one way we used to entertain the boys.  If you don't want to waste paper and are more techie, here's  a site for a fun on-line game for making snowflakes.  Warning!  It can become addictive!

THRIFTY THINGS WE DID THIS WEEK

Heated our house with wood.

Washed our clothes in the old wringer washer, saving on water and detergent.

Reused the rinse water for flushing toilets.

Hung the clothes in the woodstove room to dry, thus putting humidifying the air.

Baked cookies for inexpensive Christmas gifts.

Discovered it was cheaper to ship presents in our boxes, then those pre-paid ones at the post office.

Re-used Christmas card from the past (there's always a few left in the box, rather than ditch them, just put them away with your decorations at the end of the year.  In a few years, you'll have enough so you won't need to buy any)

Walked almost everywhere because we thought our car was having a problem.  Today we figured it out on our own saving us mega bucks at the mechanics!

Ate from the pantry.

Started knitting a hat from my yarn stash.

Watched a Christmas movie on Hulu for free.

Used our cash-back incentives at Walgreens to get our items (cashews on sale) for free.

So that's it!  Not the most exciting week, but that's OK, because sometimes we just need quiet!   Hope everyone is enjoying this Advent season.  Always remember that joy is within your reach!

Hugs
Jane






31 comments:

  1. I love your rose hip wreath. I also have done minimal decorating this year, although to me, it looks nice. We have a tree and some holly, plus a few other things.

    When one of the kids and Rob got the decorations down from the space above the garage, it seems the creches for the nativities did not get brought down. I've looked for them, to no avail. So, our nativities (2) are just sitting on tables. Hmmmm. A little less decor than I wanted in that instance. We are sure they will turn up when we are putting away. I am just consoling myself that there will be less to pick up afterwards, and we are enjoying the nativities, even sitting on tables, instead of stables:)

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    1. Hi Becky! Isn't it funny how things just seem to disappear? I think I've wasted at least five years of my life just looking for things. Been trying for the last few years to clean out the attic, but it's just as jumbled as ever.

      I think the nativities will look just as pretty without the stables. For a week ours was sitting on the edge of the dining room table while they were being prepared. I think we noticed them more often and reflected on what they meant that way then the way they are now in set up on the table. I set the nativity up by the front window this year in kind of defiance to all those that say we musn't say Merry CHRISTmas, lest we offend non-Christians. I am not afraid to say that the Lord is King in this household!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  2. Jane, your week sounds pretty exciting to me as saving money always gives me a lift. Love your nativity set, and I'm glad you were allowed to play with it when you were young.

    I'm glad you mentioned the pommanders. I haven't made them in years so that sounds like a fun thing to do this week. Love the snowflake, ooh, I do hope we get some real snow soon.

    Have a great week!

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    1. Hi Toni! Every year when I open the bag of those pomanders, the scent brings back a flood of memories of Christmas past. They really do keep their scent!

      I doesn't look as though we'll be getting any snow soon. It's so strange when my friends in Southern states have more snow then we do up here near the 45th parallel!

      Hope you will have a fun thrifty week!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  3. What a sweet, fun Christmas season post. I love your style dear Jane.

    Happy Christmas week ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Hi Rainey! Hope you have a lovely week too! How many Christmas trees did you put up this year?

      Hugs
      Jane

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  4. Your rosehip wreath looks beautiful Jane. I made one with ivy this weekend for the front door. I think that I'll use rosehips to make one for the back door. I love the snowflake decorations too. For the last few years I've hanged I hanged them the ceiling on cotton threads back in the old house and even managed to collect them and carefully re-use them for a couple of years. Like with real snow it brightened up the gloomy days. They are so simple and yet so effective. Thank you for reminding me about them.
    Happy days,
    debx


    Your cocoa looks scrumptious...I just go for that now.

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    1. Make sure you use good thick gloves, Debby. Rosehips are certainly prickly!

      Was talking to my granddaughter and it occurred to me that a lot of children aren't taught how to make snowflakes anymore, thus the step-by-step directions. We hang ours by fishing line, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Christmas will be over before we do. Something about the rainy weather just isn't motivating us to do much these days.

      Hope everything is looking Christmasy around your home!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  5. Hi Jane! I was shopping at Costco and just came home to drink my coffee and "visit" with you! So true about this weather! We could never expect an Easter with such nice weather. Oh well...soon enough your snow will come. I do wish God would change the weather a bit to give us a snowy Christmas...and then spring can come right after..ha..Beautiful nativity set! They just don't make them as lovely these days! I was just visiting a neighbor and hers' is like yours, and handed down from her grandparents. The rose hip wreath is beautiful! I'll have to quit trimming my roses and letting them get rose hips and do that....I love to steal your ideas. The angel is so neat looking! Our January art projects used to be making snowflakes and decorating with them. Andrea

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    1. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, Andrea. But this year it looks like it will only be in my dreams! I can recall only a few Christmases without snow. All the stranger because of the last two winters. Oh well!

      That nativity set is newer, but it took me a couple of years to find one that didn't look so shoddy in my price range. They paint them so sloppily. Is it to much to ask that Baby Jesus' eyes are painted in their proper place? Ha! Oh! Speaking of Nativity sets, I got a good chuckle out of that big box they sent the Peanuts one to you in. No wonder shipping is so expensive! I was going to use a $10 coupon from Eddie Bauer to buy some tights, but the shipping was $8.99 - for one pair of tights. I skipped it.

      The rose hips come for our forage site. Man! That was a painful project.

      Did you find some good deals at Costco? I want to go to one, if I ever manage to get to the big city, just for the experience. Oh! We had sun today! It was shocking!

      Hope it's sunny where you are!

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. Hi again! (I just accidently did the back button so don't know where this went so I will begin again). I love Costco. I trust their prices. Of course I have not checked other prices in years. But it is nice to not have to clip coupons or shop around. And it is run very professionally, and has no-nonsense pricing. It is worth it especially for things like toilet paper (Scott's 75 cents each roll), Q-tips, toothpaste, K-cups, I can go on and on. I like their meat also, and great prices on the fruit and vegetables. However, it is getting hard to buy large pkgs of other foods with all my kids gone. Or we just eat the same thing day after day for many months..ha..or end up donating the food (such as a 3 pkg of ketchup is hard to use up...or 6 pkgs of noodles or macaroni and cheese...multiple pkgs of oreos, etc). I find I really hate to go to grocery stores now as each item might be $1 more than I pay! Hugs back...Andrea

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    3. p.s...yes shipping is expensive! Andrea

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    4. We don't have one anywhere nearby, but I think there's one near my sons. Just heard a lot about them and am curious to what to see their pricing. I know a lot of people swear by them.

      It is hard to get used to not cooking for a crowd. I still make too many mashed potatoes on the rare occasion I make them. It just doesn't look like enough in a small saucepan. That's why mashed potato day is usually followed by shepherd's pie or pot pie day! Ha!

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    5. We don't have Costco in Oklahoma yet but we do have SAMs. Their website has prices, even for things like produce. You have to select which location you are shopping at. When I used to shop at SAMs, I relied on this feature to preplan my big shopping trips.

      I would be surprised if Costco doesn't also offer this on their site

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    6. Costco does have a very nice website and some things offered there are also carried at their warehouse (store). But mostly high ticket items. And some things there are not in the warehouse. If they are, many times they will tell you that your warehouse price might be cheaper than online. As far as groceries, online is only for giant quantities...ha....their quantities are large enough at the store (called their warehouse) but these would be more for businesses or if you are having a party or something. Andrea

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    7. I wonder how much a person could save if they formed a co-op with neighbors and bought the really big quantities on line? Just a fantasy! Would never get enough people to agree. Ha! Our bulk food store has those big wheels of cheese cheap and I've hinted to other about going in and sharing the cost, but no one ever takes the bait. I guess we are all too independent now days.

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    8. I think it would be a good idea. I've thought of that before. But I couldn't do it with my kids because I would just give it to them. ha. But it would be a nice thing for a senior center or something like that to do. Andrea

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    9. Ha! I know, same here. BTW, after seeing your latest post, I'm so hungry for those cookies. Guess what I'll be doing this afternoon?

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    10. Yes I smell like a cookie right now! I made them for my husband's work party tomorrow. I'm trying to diet and everyone is giving me cookies..ha..Andrea

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  6. Sounds like a perfectly wonderful week! I love your creche! I have one that I picked up that is all handmade from plywood and the figures are handpainted. I love it!

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    1. Hi Matty! Hope you are having a perfectly wonderful week now that all that stress is over with. I searched for a couple of years for a nice Nativity set, you're lucky to have found one. Finally found this one one the deep discount rack at a department store I never visit. Finally! A Baby Jesus with eyes in their sockets!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  7. My postmistress is the one who told me that sometimes it is cheaper to use one's own box over their ship anywhere box if the item is not heavy. She was nice to inform me of that. And I almost never buy anything new for Christmas decorations as it is traditional to reuse all our ornaments, and sometimes we get new ones as gifts. We had our neighbors over for supper Saturday with just some pizza and veggie sticks and fruit and some cookies and ice cream. Sent them home with all the leftover cookies in a Christmas tin. I always like to pick those up at the thrift store. They loved it. They have 4 little girls and they'll go fast :)
    Nannie

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    1. Hi Nannie! I was amazed at how much it saved. Around $5 a package. Overall, I saved about $20 this year on postage. You can buy a weeks worth of groceries for that (if you know where to shop)!

      Thank goodness for those that do buy new, or else all us thrifters wouldn't have such a nice selection at the thrift stores! I buy all my tins there too. Particularly found of the old Currier and Ives ones. Somehow cookies just taste better to me in them.

      Sounds like a wonderful evening. That's what I miss most about Christmas, having little ones around. Even all the neighbor children are grown now. This weekend will travel downstate to visit the grandbabies. That will be fun!

      Have a nice week!
      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. Hope you have a good trip and a wonderful visit.

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    3. Thanks Rhonda! By the looks of it, we have grandchildren the same age. Aren't the little pre-schoolers so much fun at Christmas? This is the first year they are really excited about it.

      That's interesting about Costco. I'm fascinated by how much these big box stores charge. Is it really a savings and all? My friend was telling me about her trip to it recently, and I just want to go and see what they look like. I think I'm living in a time-warp sometimes. Ha!

      Hope you get your Christmas shopping done before the big rush!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  8. After reading this post, my children and I made snowflakes. It was a fun advent activity.
    Have a blessed Christmas!
    Leslie

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    1. Hi Leslie! Well then, I'm glad this post reminded you of the snowflakes! When the boys were little we'd make a veritable blizzard of them.

      Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas also!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  9. Pretty Christmas decor, I really love the rose hip wreath, I would have never thought about using rose hips, but they look perfect as a wreath. I love making paper snow flakes, I've always thought that one can do wonders with a stack of white paper and some scissors and glue, they always look so festive. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! :)

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    1. Thanks April! It was fun to make snowflakes once again. Bet they would have looked nice with some glitter. Maybe next year. Going to the new Star Wars movie? I think my son has advance tickets for tonight.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  10. Love your decorating. Your nativity with the stable is so special. I have never made pomanders before, but yours look so pretty, and I'm sure they smell wonderful. I need to get the kids to make some snowflakes for my kitchen door. I think the temps are supposed to be close to 70 Christmas day. :(
    Hope that you have a wonderful Christmas.

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    1. Hi Kathy! I made lots of snowflakes and taped them to the windows. One way or another, we'll have a white Christmas! ON Friday we traveled down to my son's house to celebrate with them. It snowed then, so I guess I did get my white Christmas. Hope you have the most peaceful and joy-filled Christmas!

      Hugs
      Jane

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