Lion and Lambs

Our family’s big get together Christmas celebration is fast approaching. Sure we used to do it before December 25th like everyone else…until we learned a little secret. If you wait until after, all of “Santa’s” candy, decorations, tablecloths, paper goods etc are half price!! At our local drug store if you wait a couple of extra days, everything is 75% off. So you take a little risk with what will be available, we just hit several locations of the same chain and all our work is richly rewarded. How’s that for stewardship. That is a better way to look at it than to think that we are cheapskates. The other thing we do to save money is our gift exchange. It drives me nuts the way people will just buy anything because they feel they HAVE to get everyone something. One family I know is so bad they all exchange gift cards. I told them to just get out their twenty dollar bills and pass them to the left, much easier way to meet the same end. Many years ago, at least fifteen, my family decided and agreed to exchange home-made ornaments. I have a beautiful tree that is FULL of memories and sentiment. There are even several ornaments that were made by the young children in the families which adds to their beauty. Until my two children became older teenagers, it was a family project that we got together to create. Those times in themselves are wonderful memories. My only regret is that the ornaments are not all signed and dated. I am hoping to get started on mine tomorrow night. After all, I wouldn’t want to wait ’til the last minute.