Corporate Christmas

I get a slightly icky feeling in my tummy just thinking about the holidays and the buying season known as Christmas. When I think about braving the marketplace for gifts and goodies, I just end up thinking how slimy and sold-out the holiday has become.

I remember back when I was just a poor college student and gave away my favorite book sets, cookies and bread for the holidays.

Well, now that I am older, I realize that this Christmas is going to probably be a return to those simpler times: I do love giving gifts, but I am going to make an effort this year to make those gifts myself rather than buying them from a retailer.  Home made wrapping paper (all you need is some spray paint, paper bags and fall leaves and you get paper *and* pretty gift tags - the leaves after all the spray painting), cookies from my favorite recipes, and tons and tons of orange muffins, homemade stollen & banana nut bread. 

There may be a few 'extras' for the hubby (since he has video game or two that he really wants), but I hope that the rest of my friends and family simply enjoy the fruits of my labor.

This isn't a frugality thing.

This is my protest against the way that Christmas is being exploited as 'the best way for retailers to spring back from a slow third quarter'.  *I think I just threw up a little in my mouth*

Happy Holidays!

 

Confessions of a Turkey Junkie

 

Nope, no silly holiday ‘resolutions’ for me: Just a reminder that it is time to get back on the vegis and exercise wagon.

 

 

The problem seems to be that my favorite vegi preparations are all ‘warm weather’ friendly: Fruit smoothies and salads. In the cooler months I crave hot dishes – and sadly most of the vegi ‘heated foods’ I know aren’t very calorie friendly as they are loaded with butter, baked with cheese or heaped with some other bovine-fat-storage food unit. *grin*

 

I must figure this out….

 

The exercise is fine – So long as I remember to breathe thru my nose (not my mouth) while out running on chilly mornings. Otherwise I tear my throat up with the frigid air. I am thinking about adding biking to my routine, but the thought of having to invest in new gear has pulled me up a little short: If I thought the wind chill in *running* was going to prove my work out clothes to be sub-par for this season…

 

Anywho, I need to spawn some serious motivation. Time to start looking at half marathon schedules for about three months from now. 

How about this one? http://www.stockteam.com/marathon.html Heck, it's close enough to hubby's mom's house that we could stay with her & P before the race!