STUPID CHOCHKIES FOR CHRISTMAS

maybe apple butter. Its apple sauce cooked until its a dark creamy consistency , with a heavy apple cinnamon flavor. Im sure thyre gonna have sour cream, they live about a mile from a dairy coop market.
Most everybody doesnt drink , how bout some onion jelly?

Oh, that would be lovely. Definitely appropriate.

ok, lose the scarves and bring sweet stuff.

We got through most of Christmas tchotchke-free (about to start Christmas with my mom -- she recently arrived and is doing some last-minute wrapping).

The exception was a thingie from E.G.'s grandma, but it doesn't annoy me. It's a country-ish "welcome" hanging thing, distressed painted tin heart with an angel hanging in the middle. I'd never buy it in a zillion years, but it's a rare strike-out; she works in a little resale center and has gotten us all kinds of cool little vintage linens and things over the years. I'm sure this was from there too, though it's "new" (made in the last few years), and I can't get mad about it. For some reason the expense of a given object influences my annoyance -- the waste factor, I guess. "$50 for THAT?" (I can't imagine this was more than $5.)

We too were almost tchotchke-free. It was the first Christmas where we didn't leave the house to visit Mr B's family. They were all travelling this year so it was just the four of us. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was nice staying home for once. In fact, I might have to suggest it again next year.

Whenever I hear someone say "It's not the gift, it's the thought that counts" may response is "Yeah, well, then they should have thought about it a little more."


Money doesn't have anything to do with it, it's a matter of really putting a little thought into what the other person would like.

If I'm going to give someone a $3 gift, it's going to be worth every penny of that $3.00. Not a syrofoam ball with 2 buttons glued on for eyes and a paper clip sticking out of it for a nose. God almighty.

It took me many years, but I've learned to just toss gifts like that without looking back. Otherwise, it reminds me how little thought went into picking that out everytime I look at it.

Personally, I wouldn't regift something like that....don't want to be guilty of the same thoughtlessness.

Worst gift I ever got?

A teabag.

That's right.......A (meaning one) teabag.
If it had been given by someone who had very little, I would have brewed it up and enjoyed it with that person....but it came from someone who didn't like me (this person didn't like ANYONE).

Maybe those of you who get these silly things should follow the example of this guy: http://www.oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

So far he has traded his paperclip up to a three day trip to Yahk, B.C., Canada!

I never visit a town that sounds like someone puking.

I got a plastic trophy covered in cheap gold-coloured paint that looks like an Academy Award. It says "World's Best Friend" on the bottom.

I don't know how to feel about this thing. I am not a materialist person and I do not like 'stuff' in general. This thing isn't 'art' or handmade or unique or even pretty (IMO it is butt ugly and tacky as christian hell).
The thought? I don't know what he was thinking!!!!! It does not 'suit' me at all.

Right now it is sitting by my coffee maker. I dunno what I'll do with it honestly. I have never given or thrown out a present given before...but this might be an exception.

put it on top of yer toilet. Theres many a time that Kohler was my very best friend indeed..

or not

Oh wow, flushed!

I just had a LSD flashback to the "Love Is..." cartoon where the little naked people said sweety things.

And walk 30 miles to school, barefoot & in the middle of winter, even!

We were dragged, bound and helpless, behind a bullock dray.......bleeding and screaming in agony.

There were 15 of us kids in our family & all our clothes were had-me-downs! In tatters, they were! <sob.

Ah yes...we had them after you threw them out....

Oh my! You had it tough!

Oh ...you surrendering then?


Snorkle!!!!!

So, ummm, you guys had clothes?

NEVER!!!!!

We slept 7 to a bed! The other beds were chopped up for firewood during the depression. Times we tough!

You guys had beds?

And fires?

Wow.