I am not sure how it is November!! This is by no means an edited post but I really wanted to get back into writing. This week, we are busy getting all of the groceries lined up for the food pantry’s distribution. This year has gone frighteningly fast. November and December always start to blend together with winter prep & chores at the farm, commitments with family, and food pantry volunteer work. The reality is that the most challenging thing will be trying to find time to clean the world’s most cluttered house before my friends arrive for Thanksgiving. That is perhaps more daunting than the balance of farm chores and cooking for the holidays.
I actually have tried to start some holiday shopping which seems to work when I am too tired to deal with cleaning the house at the end of the day. Honestly, shopping for others is something I enjoy. Gift giving is not extravagant for us. I love the “something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read” holiday gift giving philosophy that a friend shared and we use with our kids. They don’t have huge expectations and still love the festivities. I do appreciate this shift from the 1980’s height of consumerism.
I discovered a great gift idea this year… customizable socks on Amazon. Yes silly. But that is the point when you try to get something small for someone that has anything they really want or need. I am excited to see how they turn out. I also took advantage of a good sale at Land’s End that hit my inbox, checking off the “something to wear” category.
As for something to read, a huge shout to my neighbor Elizabeth Winthrop who published her book, “Daughter of Spies: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies.” I have started it and I think it would make a really good gift. She has seamlessly woven present day challenges and history together telling multiple family stories at once. You may know her from “A Castle in the Attic,” among other books she has written.
Of course, I have also gotten BeautyCounter’s holiday sets for some of my friends and family, as well. The sets can be given as is or separated and paired with a spa headband, or other pampering items. Here is the gift guide (PDF) if you want more details on this year’s holiday gift sets or you can always go to my personal website for all of the details. Sales start November 14 while supplies last. For me, this falls under “something I need.” Not only is the safer choice of skin care products something I need, it is also just simply the high performing products themselves. My skin really gets so dry in the fall and winter feels worse if I don’t find time to take care of myself. Just the few minutes of pampering really does give me a quiet moment that all of us deserve.
While BeautyCounter is great for filling in for many of my friends, I still struggle with getting things for my husband. He will sometimes order his own gifts or sends me a link and then has me wrap it up… perhaps it is for the best and covers “something you want.” If you know him, he is the best guy but kind of picky… 🙂 I had to laugh when my son (my husband’s mini-me) said finding gifts for he and his dad was easy… his sister was hard! I guess we all have a different perspective of what is easy.
Finally, something we need in this house….Rightfully, both of my kids recognized the need for new lunch boxes/bags. So now I need to get going on finding a good match for each of them. It is a tough thing. If you get one that is too strong and lasts forever, it gets so gross you still have to get rid of it. But if it is flimsy, it only lasts a very short time. Suggestions welcomed!
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving. I am hoping for time to reflect and be in the moment with my family so that November and December is more enjoyable than stressful. What are you hoping to do?