December 12th 2014
Where does inspiration come from?
What makes your light bulb go off? What makes you able to work out the best way to accomplish a task? What inspires you?
I love lists, and it makes me happy to scratch items off and see the list get smaller and smaller, I get a kick off post it note walls and ripping them down and scrunching up the chore. My family? Well they think I have issues and that I am a POST IT NOTE BULLY! Hahahahha poor overworked people. They should clean up after themselves or finish a job the first time to avoid my post it note rage!
BUT how to attack a large mess with a minimum of disaster throughout the rest of the house? Now THAT is skill. As I said on facebook yesterday "LOL to this anal retentive person finding a hidey hole in the house that she does not have to look at, because it has a door, and no one sees for the same reason, is an outlet for the messy part of their mind." My usual inspiration is FEAR. Fear that one of my friends may walk into the mess and see it. My evening ritual is to straighten each room, including pillows and blankets, as I head to bed, just in case someone shows up for coffee in the morning!!! I have been known to re-do this while I let the dog out at 4am! I border on Ataxophobia - Fear of disorder or untidiness.
Anyone who watches me get ready for a party or meal at our house can attest to this. It is not necessarily a fear of untidiness in the case of a party though, it is that I want my guests to feel not only welcome, but that in what I have done, they feel special because I know small things about them, like cornbread stuffing, salad with dressing on the side or having Vernors in the fridge.
BUT having said that, I have been known to be the last to the table because I was straightening the counter or throwing the first load of dishes in the sink! LOL
I think that this is a quality that was not learned by our generation, and in that loss we are not teaching our children. The delight I get in having someone for dinner or coffee, is my gift. I love to entertain. I hope that in having done it so often, involving Judy not only in the cleaning but in the planning, preparation and cooking, that I have passed on my love of having guests.
So why do I do so much at Christmas?
Why 8+ trees? I have been contemplating the reasons this year myself. I could blame it on my 19 nieces and nephews + 2 great nephews... (1 tree for each of them eventually! LOL)
I could blame my mother for having at least 4 every year!
But in fact I have them, because I love Christmas. I love making every tree have a personality. I enjoy seeing them twinkle every night.
I am an addict.
I listen to commercials that are telling men the only thing that will make their wives happy this year is a diamond to hang close to her heart. Know what I want this year. A new pillow. Yup, not a diamond. Another commercial has Santa buying CARS for people! Know what else I want> A box of turtles and a Dean R Koontz book, not a car. The spirit of Christmas is not in the size or shape of the gift. The spirit of giving is to let others know that you love and appreciate having them in your life! A beautiful handmade scarf means more to me than the thousands of store bought gifts that can be bought, including the Mercede's Benz that was being advertised.
My annoyance with Christmas values, led me to discover that even if the gift is given with love at this season, it may not be enough, no matter who you are giving it to.
For the second time I experienced first hand why people would veer away from making a homemade gift. I realize that me making a scrapbook or homemade cards for some people, could be unappreciated or unwanted, but it is not the gift, it is the love and time put into that gift. In my case I really did believe the gift would be appreciated and loved.
I have received my fair share of weird gifts. Things that were a last minute thought or definitely not something I would use. Know how I deal with that? I decide if it is returnable or re-gift worthy. Sometimes that is the best way to deal with it. In its place I replace it with what I do like. So it you bought me a big bag of Mars bars, I would wrap those up for John ad buy myself a replacement gift of a bag of Riesen! If I get a bottle of red wine, I re-gift it and get myself a bottle of Wild Vines. No one needs to know! Nor does anyone NEED to know.
I think the problem is there is so much out there TO BUY. A gift should be personal. This year, we
adhered to the gift lists we made at Thanksgiving.
I would love the Christmas Spirit to evolve. I would like Santa to go back to the gift giver, not want giver. Gift(s) from Santa should be more thoughtful, not an indulgence of everything a child wants. I think Santa's gifts should be the stocking full of fun items, toys, candy and socks! That Santa bring one or two of the most wanted gifts, and leave the piles of other gifts to be from Mom and Dad. The blame for over indulgence left on the shoulders of the parents who did it not leave the expectaion for more from Santa next year. I would like to see more people adopt the homemade is better gifts.
.
But that would be in a perfect world. For now all I can do is bring those values to my family
Where does inspiration come from?
What makes your light bulb go off? What makes you able to work out the best way to accomplish a task? What inspires you?
I love lists, and it makes me happy to scratch items off and see the list get smaller and smaller, I get a kick off post it note walls and ripping them down and scrunching up the chore. My family? Well they think I have issues and that I am a POST IT NOTE BULLY! Hahahahha poor overworked people. They should clean up after themselves or finish a job the first time to avoid my post it note rage!
BUT how to attack a large mess with a minimum of disaster throughout the rest of the house? Now THAT is skill. As I said on facebook yesterday "LOL to this anal retentive person finding a hidey hole in the house that she does not have to look at, because it has a door, and no one sees for the same reason, is an outlet for the messy part of their mind." My usual inspiration is FEAR. Fear that one of my friends may walk into the mess and see it. My evening ritual is to straighten each room, including pillows and blankets, as I head to bed, just in case someone shows up for coffee in the morning!!! I have been known to re-do this while I let the dog out at 4am! I border on Ataxophobia - Fear of disorder or untidiness.
Anyone who watches me get ready for a party or meal at our house can attest to this. It is not necessarily a fear of untidiness in the case of a party though, it is that I want my guests to feel not only welcome, but that in what I have done, they feel special because I know small things about them, like cornbread stuffing, salad with dressing on the side or having Vernors in the fridge.
BUT having said that, I have been known to be the last to the table because I was straightening the counter or throwing the first load of dishes in the sink! LOL
I think that this is a quality that was not learned by our generation, and in that loss we are not teaching our children. The delight I get in having someone for dinner or coffee, is my gift. I love to entertain. I hope that in having done it so often, involving Judy not only in the cleaning but in the planning, preparation and cooking, that I have passed on my love of having guests.
Why 8+ trees? I have been contemplating the reasons this year myself. I could blame it on my 19 nieces and nephews + 2 great nephews... (1 tree for each of them eventually! LOL)
I could blame my mother for having at least 4 every year!
But in fact I have them, because I love Christmas. I love making every tree have a personality. I enjoy seeing them twinkle every night.
I am an addict.
I listen to commercials that are telling men the only thing that will make their wives happy this year is a diamond to hang close to her heart. Know what I want this year. A new pillow. Yup, not a diamond. Another commercial has Santa buying CARS for people! Know what else I want> A box of turtles and a Dean R Koontz book, not a car. The spirit of Christmas is not in the size or shape of the gift. The spirit of giving is to let others know that you love and appreciate having them in your life! A beautiful handmade scarf means more to me than the thousands of store bought gifts that can be bought, including the Mercede's Benz that was being advertised.
My annoyance with Christmas values, led me to discover that even if the gift is given with love at this season, it may not be enough, no matter who you are giving it to.
For the second time I experienced first hand why people would veer away from making a homemade gift. I realize that me making a scrapbook or homemade cards for some people, could be unappreciated or unwanted, but it is not the gift, it is the love and time put into that gift. In my case I really did believe the gift would be appreciated and loved.
I have received my fair share of weird gifts. Things that were a last minute thought or definitely not something I would use. Know how I deal with that? I decide if it is returnable or re-gift worthy. Sometimes that is the best way to deal with it. In its place I replace it with what I do like. So it you bought me a big bag of Mars bars, I would wrap those up for John ad buy myself a replacement gift of a bag of Riesen! If I get a bottle of red wine, I re-gift it and get myself a bottle of Wild Vines. No one needs to know! Nor does anyone NEED to know.
I think the problem is there is so much out there TO BUY. A gift should be personal. This year, we
adhered to the gift lists we made at Thanksgiving.
I would love the Christmas Spirit to evolve. I would like Santa to go back to the gift giver, not want giver. Gift(s) from Santa should be more thoughtful, not an indulgence of everything a child wants. I think Santa's gifts should be the stocking full of fun items, toys, candy and socks! That Santa bring one or two of the most wanted gifts, and leave the piles of other gifts to be from Mom and Dad. The blame for over indulgence left on the shoulders of the parents who did it not leave the expectaion for more from Santa next year. I would like to see more people adopt the homemade is better gifts.
.
But that would be in a perfect world. For now all I can do is bring those values to my family
- Instead of wrapping XL gifts, use oversize gift bags and tissue paper
(Personally love the lovely paper of a wrapped gift) - It is never too early to order gifts from catalogs but it can be too late!
(it is also easier to purchase early than to put the whole weight of gift purchasing on one pay cheque) - Instead of exchanging gifts donate to charity
(women's shelters are always thankful) - Do not let rude people steal your Christmas joy
(instead thank them for working so hard, keep a stash of candy canes in your purse to give them) - Give blood. Its the gift of life
(I can't but proud my daughter started this year) - For a large party make sure you rent any equipment needed plenty early
- When you see a group or family trying to get a picture, offer to take it for them
(not just at Christmas - anytime) - Give children toys that encourage creativity
(I love screens free gifts)
Good night
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