I am not going to...

I've decided this year to really scale down this year for Christmas. Partly because of wanting to not spend a lot of money, (still working on that budget!) and because I just feel like we have so much that I don't want to get caught up in the materialism of it all which I am very prone to do. I have spent 1/3 on gifts this year and am even making many of them. The kids are only getting 3-4 items plus their stockings and no "big" gifts this year. Shane and I are even thinking about not doing gifts for each other. (The $400 personal property tax bill just came. Wasn't that sweet for them to send it right before Christmas! AGH!)

I've been trying to go thru all of my "stashes" and it is shocking what I could make if I had the time, energy, and motivation. I have three Christmas gifts I'm knitting that I didn't even have to buy a thing! I also have so much fabric (inherited from my grandma and some smokin deals at Joann fabrics) that I have some really cute kid projects that I am hoping to get done.

Simplify. That's my goal. Instead of running around at all the stores trying to find the perfect gift, I am making myself be really creative and come up with things that I have on hand. I want to post pictures, but that would give away to the recipients what I am making and the battery died on my camera and I can't find the charger!



So what am I not going to do?



1. Buy any new Xmas decorations until after holiday sales.

2. Use the credit card AT ALL (so far I haven't even glanced at it).

3. Spend a lot on my kids for stuff they don't need.

4. Go to every holiday activity and run the family around town.

5. Whine or even be bothered by not getting the Husqvarna serger Christmas morning.

6. Get stressed out. What gets done, gets done. Otherwise...oh well.