and of course shopping

I struggle with Christmas shopping.  Who doesn't?!  Well, actually Greg doesn't.  He loves to shop and it really causes a stress between us this time of year.  I would love for Christmas to be a simple affair, homemade or inexpensive gifts with meaning... without the sticker shock.  When the kids were little we managed that.  Mostly because Greg was so often deployed during the Christmas season and I did the shopping... or creating.  Now he's all about watching 'Steep and Cheap' and 'Brocity' for the best deals and coolest gear.  He's so excited about the treasures he finds.  Some would say his love language is definitely gift giving, so I give him the space to enjoy himself. 

Early in our marriage I made almost everything we gave.  I have books, files and note cards filled with ideas for making food gifts, caramel corn, ice cream syrups, hot chocolate mix.  For several years I would start early in the year and begin a crock of compote that I would pour into decorative canisters and give away as gifts.  In June I would put in strawberries fresh from the fields, then blueberries, raspberries, peaches, cherries, each as they came into season.  Along with the fruits would go a cup of sugar and a cup of vodka, stir and let it ferment.  The large crock sat on my kitchen counter throughout the growing season.  By the fall it was ready to seal up and at Christmas ready to be spooned over ice cream, waffles or pound cake.  Yum!  I completely forgot about it this year.  My summer was a little nutty. 

Then of course there were are projects.  I've done some weaving, but not as much as I should.  Also for years the kids and I would make angel ornaments.  We'd find a pattern each year for a different angel.  One year was sculpty clay, another from a terracotta pot, another of ribbon and another of felt, always something different.  When we went to visit friends and family throughout the holiday season we would take an angle to share.  That was incredibly fun, but as the kids got older they lost interest and we moved on to other things. 

I also taught many Christmas crafts to children over the years, both to homeschool kids and while working in Children's ministries at church.  I've got a trunk full of patterns and materials, just can't seem to get rid of that kind of thing.  Never can tell when the opportunity may arise again to make a manger ornament out of a walnut shell. 

But today that's not the plan.  I'm heading out to...  that secret place, where I'm going to buy that secret thing... and hope that Greg likes it.  And I hope the stores aren't too crazy.  To make up for shopping I am also going with Lydia to watch her dance teacher's performance.  Not really sure what I'm getting in to, but it sounded like a fun night out with Lydia. 

So another tradition continues...