Christmas Shopping - You Can Give It A Miss!
I love Christmas. It is a time of rejoicing, new possibilities, family and friends. It is a time for being able to get in touch with our inner child, and let ourselves go a little more freely.
Unfortunately however, the Christmas season brings with it high levels of stress and anxiety for many people. As December approaches they begin to worry about what to buy, whom to buy for, how much money they can afford. Then there is the dreaded trip to the shopping centre with tired children and bored husbands as we duck and weave through a myriad of shops to find a gift for everyone. At the end of the day we are exhausted, broke and our souls are just that little more destroyed - the consumerist mentality has won again.
But Christmas does not have to be like this, and it shouldn't. We are in control every step of the way, we have just become convinced that we cannot get through Christmas without all that the shopping malls provide - but we can! We can begin to bring the true spirit of Christmas, indeed of life, back into focus. We can get through the season without spending a fortune and we can give gifts that nurture our souls and the souls of others, not just empty our wallets.
For those that have either vegetable gardens, fruit trees, chickens or all of these, gifts for the giving are in abundance. You need look no further than your own backyard for fresh, colourful, healthy and comforting gifts for those you love. You will go a long way to find someone who doesn't like a gift of food, especially that that is homegrown with love. Baskets from secondhand shops (usually around fifty cents, maybe sprayed or decorated if a little shabby), old and new mixing bowls, gingham tablecloths (inexpensive, especially if handmade) and even corrugated cardboard boxes painted a bright colour are all possible containers ready to be filled with your fresh vegetables, fruit and eggs. Some recipe cards may be inlcuded for ideas on what to use your produce for, especially if you know the person concerned is fond of a particular food. Homegrown food has been birthed of the soil, nurtured with your own hands,raised with the hope of each new day and harvested joyfully - who could ask for a more wonderful gift?
For those of you with herb gardens, potted herbs are wonderful presents, especially if accompanied by a recipe that uses the herb or instructions for drying and making herbal tea. For that matter, if the intended recipient is a little lazy, you could dry it in the microwave and present in a cellaphane bag with instructions to infuse in boiling water.
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