Count down to Christmas

I'm sitting at home today while it's raining outside and decided it was a great day to ad a new blog entry. The count down to Christmas has already began, the last weekend for shopping is here. LOL! for some people this year Christmas shopping never began.I refused to let this recession foil my Christmas, I decided being out there in the rain today going from store to store looking for deals,wasn't very appealing to me. I did go out yesterday for a while just to look for some 99c items for our white elephant game. Of course there was nothing on sale there, but, that was one crowded place, LOL! I found a few good items for our game, I can't tell you right now what they were, it's a secret.  I've still got a few more days to find more things, so I hope this rain lets up soon. I just hate to drive in it, people here just don't slow down and most of them drive very reckless.The rain sure makes it feel like Christmas though, it's the best we can do here, because we don't get snow down here where I live. I'm getting excited about our Christmas gathering. Even though most of us were together at a birthday party for a 76 year old relative, just last weekend. I enjoy any chance we have to get together. We're such an active Family that getting each person together in the same place is quite an ordeal. One of my Grandson's was in Wisconsin doing a show for Thanksgiving so he missed our Thanksgiving feast. He's back now just in time for Christmas, but his Brother will be taking off for Greece in about 8 days, but at least he'll be home for Christmas. I guess I'll get use to all this jet setting these young people do. You see I don't like to fly, but I'm always ready to go places. Nobody want to travel with me on the bus or train, they say it takes to long, there always in such a hurry. I just sit back and enjoy the ride. I'm glad their getting a chance to see the world, it will help them to make better informed decisions on where they live and how they live, because they get to see everybody isn't living Hollywood Rock Star lives in other places. Sure wish I would have had the opportunity to travel when I was younger, but look out Greyhound and Amtrak, I'll be retiring soon. Well the rain is still quietly hitting the pavement outside so I'm going to finish wrapping up a few more of my 99 cents only store gifts, I'm recycling bags an tissue from Christmas past. LOL! it hilarious how some of the Family wraps there gifts for this game, comic strips paper, brown paper bags, the original 99 cents only bag it came in, foil paper and so on. I've learned to beware of the gifts in the finest of Christmas paper and pretty bows...that's usually the gag gifts and none of the envelopes every contain money. We usually get great gifts that are over 99c from the new comer to the Family the 1st and 2 years, unfortunately they wise up and buy 99 cent items by the third year. Post a comment and let me know how your Holiday was this year. I hope all of you have a great Holiday. Deb

Our Holiday Tradition

We're only weeks away from one of the biggest holiday seasons of the year. I'm not sure how big it's going to be for each of you, but for me it will be about the same as always.

All though the number of presents I give and receive has diminished greatly over the last few years, the celebrating with family and friends is still the same. It's the one time I can see my kids and grand kids under one roof. For years now we've gathered at someones place on Xmas Eve no later than 9 p.m., bringing tamales, cookies, hot apple cider, candy canes and presents. It's can be dangerous sometimes to have the entire family together, especially when they start reminiscing about old times and beginning sentences that start with the words, remember the time when....of course everybody remember a different version of the same story, I'm not sure how that happens. Announcing that the food is ready usually stops all conversation and everybody rushes to the kitchen and begins to eat. No matter what the financial situation is in the world , we always find a way to eat. My Kids and the older Grand kids cook well and love to eat, but you'd never know that by looking at them, because most of them have very thin frames, like me. Usually after we have stuffed our faces we have our Family photo session, It's a rare occasion when I have all of my kids in the same room together, so I take advantage of the opportunity. I'm so excited that a few of my grand kids are camera fanatics like me, so there's lots of picture at the end of the night. Well now the fun is about to begin, NO! it's not time to open presents it's time to play the white elephant 99 cents Christmas game. What, you've never played this game, well our Family plays it every year rain or shine. Yes, you guested it the conversation starts back up again and it starts with, remember the Christmas when you got...the. Someone always repeats the list of the prank gifts that have been given over the years and the laughter begins again. I enjoy shopping for this game, I always get practical items that anybody could use that only costs 99 cents that includes candy or food items, my budget is around $20.00-25.00. I wrap each item up just like a present. Now, my kids are all a bunch of practical JOKERS, you never now which gift to pick. Last years winner was poop scooping bags...which would have been a great gift, except none of us had a dog. LOL! We play this game until the last gift is gone, or all the items can no longer be snatched away. Others have played this game with us and have vowed to return for revenge. "We say to them, bring your 99 cent gifts and let's get it on, just kidding." T'is the season to be jolly! LOL! Our Family has found this to be a recession proof way to enjoy the holidays. We eat, play and laugh till we cry. You might want to give this a try with your Family..

Happy Holiday from my Family to you and yours.