Just in time for the holidays... Too funny

15%How Scrooge Are You? Quiz courtesy of Worst Of Lists from Listocracy

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Happy "Buy Nothing" Day!
Congratulations to everyone who's decided not to rush out to shop at 4 a.m. this morning.

The idea of overcrowded stores filled with frantic, sleep-deprived shoppers... that's strong incentive not to shop today.

If you have the day off, consider baking holiday gifts. Or, create other homemade gifts (soap, candles, etc.) that will be enjoyed and used up. Gifts like those say "I care" without later becoming clutter.

Here's a thought: Use a "make-a-mix" recipe (from a cookbook at the library?) and bake bunches of cookies, brownies, and/or breads. Wrap them well and freeze them, to give in December as holiday gifts.

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Free! Buy Nothing Yule Workbook, part one
You can download (free!) part one of the Buy Nothing Yule Workbook:

Buy Nothing Yule, part one [PDF format]
Buy Nothing Yule, part one [Word document]

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Planning ahead
It may sound silly, but right now is an ideal time to plan for Buy Nothing Christmas 2007.

Seriously.

Make a list of all the people you wanted to do something nice for, during this recent holiday season. (This is probably different from the people you actually gave gifts to, this past year.)

Now, divide that list by nine months. I mean, in a perfect world, wouldn't you love to have all of your holiday stuff completed before Samhain/Halloween? Wouldn't you like to be making your Christmas/Yule/whatever cards in early October (at the latest), and then relax to enjoy the holidays that extend through October, November and December?

So, if you plan to make gifts starting in January, and pace yourself according to the size of your perfect holiday list, you can enjoy a rich and wonderful winter holiday season in 2007.

Make your list and divide it into nine sections, more or less equal. Plan for a wonderful Buy Nothing Christmas 2007. Start in January, and it can happen!

Your assignment this week, if you choose to accept it (said in my best Peter Graves-ish voice):

1. Make a list of everyone you'd like to give gifts to, next Yule/Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever.

2. Decide whether you'd like to give them a handmade something, or a service-type something. (Service-type gifts could include a coupon book redeemable for your services as a babysitter, as a mural painter, as someone to help plant the garden or... well, whatever you want to do.)

3. Divide the handmade gifts (or recipients) into nine groups, so that you make a few items each month.

4. Start brainstorming what you'd like to make for them. Keep notes. Maybe even start a special notebook (or a section in your diary/journal) for these notes.

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2006 Buy Nothing Christmas press release
This is the press release from 2006's Buy Nothing Christmas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HAVE LESS, LIVE MORE: BUY NOTHING CHRISTMAS

RECLAIMING THE SEASON: Those of us who shiver at the thought of hour-long line-ups and $5 gift tags finally have something to rejoice about over the holidays: fed-up citizens and social activists from across the world are inviting everyone to take part in Buy Nothing Christmas.

Inspired by the international successes of Buy Nothing Day, and disgusted with the personal debt, spiritual emptiness, and ecological damage that the holiday season now entails, writers and activists began to heavily promote the idea of a downshifted Christmas in the late nineties. Since then, the idea has been taken up by individuals, community groups, churches, and schools in at least a dozen countries, with strongest support in Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. ( More of the press release.Collapse )

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I like the idea of "buy nothing Christmas". I think you guys are just what I need to stay motivated. I always have these wonderful ideas of making all my Christmas presents, and somehow it just never seems to happen. Although I usually do manage to get some presents made, I always buy way more stuff than I make. Maybe this year will be different! :)

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I know it might seem a little anal-retentive to be worrying about Christmas when it's only January but I'm not the speediest crafter and I know if I wait til October to get started, nothing will be finished in time.

Soooo, what projects are y'all planning on for Holidays '05?

I'm hoping to have scarves knitting for all my family members. I'd like to make handmade ornaments, homemade dog biscuits, and decoupaged picture frames as well...

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Cat and Dog themed Tree
I am making all my ornaments this year. We have glass slides with cat pictures, ceramic glazed dog bones, cloth made cats and dogs, laminated pictures of animals we have owned. Recycled tiny dog and cat stuffed toys (smaller than beenie babies) My tree skirt is some dog faced fabrics that I had in my stash. I will post more when ALL the ornaments are done. Many are still in progress. Some people are trading me their own handmade cat or dog ornament for one of my cloth ones... any more takers? ( Read more...Collapse )

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a present i've been working on...
i decided this year to make a lot more of my christmas presents {including cards, at least for ultra special people}; something i always say i'm going to do, but never "get around to" ! i'm doing better this year though; this is what i spent today working on as a gift for my nan...

( see inside hereCollapse )

it's a memory book/tag book, with photos of all her grandchildren in it. i know she doesn't have one, and also these are photos she hasn't seen before either, since i took them on occasions she wasn't at. i think she'll like it... or at least the thought of it ;)

next up is a collaged travel box for one of my best friends.

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For those of us who *do* buy some things for Christmas, here's a link to sweatshop-free apparel. All these products are US-made in union shops or co-ops.

http://swatch.igc.org/sweatfree/

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holiday cards?
I like to make my own holiday cards, and a special artistamp for the season as well. But beyond that generic concept, I can't offer a whole lot in the way of clever/original ideas for holiday greeting cards. Can you share your ideas..?

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homemade gift bags
This idea was discussed briefly in comments at my personal LJ: Since the 80s, my family has used almost entirely handmade cloth bags, instead of purchased gift wrap.

I started this after shopping at the post-holiday sales, one year. Our local fabric shop had Christmas fabrics (100% cottons) at absurdly low prices, so I bought a quarter- or half-yard of several different fabrics. I also bought ribbon on sale.

At home, after preshrinking the fabrics, I tore them into different sized rectangles. (100% cotton tears in straight lines, and it's easier than cutting.) I machine-hemmed the edges that would be the opening of the bag, french-seamed the side seams, and then tacked about a half-yard of ribbon so it would hold securely at a point about three or four inches from the opening of the bag.

Every year, I shopped at the after-holiday sales and bought a little more fabric to add more bags to our collection. After about three years, we had enough bags in a wide range of sizes, so we never had to buy wrapping paper again.

After awhile, I learned to put a ribbon loop on the outside of the bag, on the side exactly opposite where the ribbon (for tying the bag closed) was tacked. I'd feed the ribbon through this loop before tying the bow that'd keep the bag closed until Christmas/Yule morning.

Some ribbons hold up better than others. Grosgrain is always a safe bet, but it needs to be ironed to remain flat & fresh-looking each year. Satin ribbon is the easiest, but often the most expensive.

When my kids were little, there was an added benefit: We never had to worry about the little ones accidentally throwing away something important (like directions for a game, or a small part to a toy) with the wrapping papers. As the kids opened their presents, I'd take each bag, make sure it was empty, fold it and put it out of the way. (This isn't as "control freak" as it sounds.) Less rubble, and far more fun.

I'll have to create some illustrations that make the project easier to understand... but, for now, I hope this idea makes enough sense for others to use.

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Welcome!
I'm very interested in a "Buy Nothing Christmas." Sure, there are people we'll probably buy presents for anyway, but why not shift the emphasis to gifts that come from the heart--things that we make, for example?

A friend of mine does her gift-giving on Thanksgiving, making that the exchange of tokens of appreciation among those close to her. Then, Christmas--which is a very religious holiday for her--remains a more spiritual celebration.

This is just one alternative to the shopping frenzy (and sometimes related credit-card debt) that occurs every December.

What are you planning this year, to make it a "buy less" holiday season or even a "Buy Nothing Christmas"?

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