[redjpwranglergirl]

One of our posters on the tos forum had a good idea about starting a holiday "tips" thread and I'd like to carry it a little further if possible. If anybody thinks this isn't a good idea just let me know and I'll remove it. All of us here are dealing with different illnesses and problems and I'm wondering if we could offer up any hints or ideas that might help others during this upcoming holiday season. As in, how can those of us who are able to do pretty much everything, help others who might need some help? Or, what causes the most problems for each of you and what do you do in order to get around that problem or are there things you just can't do and others do it for you,etc.? I think you know what I'm talking about! For instance, for the most part I'm able to do pretty much what I want to, compared to many on our forum. The only thing I can't do anymore, that has had to go by the wayside, is hang Christmas lights around my roof. Other things that cause me a problem and some pain, but not enough to stop doing it, is wrapping gifts if I try to do them all at once and decorating the tree- I do that in small increments- some one day, more the next, and so on, until I'm finished (I like alot of lights ). I also do most of the cooking, with my husband's help. But, I'm always open to new ideas- especially those that make the lightbulb go off in my head like, "why didn't I think of that?!" Anybody who wants to contribute here please add something! Also, if anybody is interested maybe we could share some recipes that are favorites and not too complicated and expensive to make. And, this one I also need help on- my MIL is in her 70's and has been very ill and has to go into the hosp. every other week to get blood so she's alot weaker than she used to be. She's asked for some small lightweight kitchen appliances because she hasn't got enough strength anymore to lift very much. So, I've already gotten her one of those can openers that's been on TV- that goes around the top of the can- because she can't hold a can up to her other electric can opener. She also wants a jar opener. Does anybody else have any ideas for things that might help in this situation? I know that these things don't sound like "fun" Christmas gifts but this is what she wants and needs.

[Jomar]

I hardly wrap gifts anymore - I go to the Dollar Store and get the gift bags and tissue paper!! drop in the gift fluff the paper and all done.

Plus the gift bags are reuseable.

I really don't like throwing out or burning all that gift wrap every year.
{my parents used to fold the large pieces & save it for the next year}

[redjpwranglergirl]

Originally Posted by jo55

I hardly wrap gifts anymore - I go to the Dollar Store and get the gift bags and tissue paper!! drop in the gift fluff the paper and all done.

Plus the gift bags are reuseable.

I really don't like throwing out or burning all that gift wrap every year.
{my parents used to fold the large pieces & save it for the next year}

No, I don't "wrap" as much as I used to either. I do use alot of bags but sometimes there's things that are too big for bags or that I'd just prefer to wrap. I don't know if "Tuesday Mornings" are all over the country or not but they always have some of the prettiest bags I've ever seen and alot cheaper than alot of places- so does "Marshalls". I've found some really unique Christmas bags there- some very Victorian looking ones. I also get alot of ideas out of "Country Living" or "Country Home" magazines for wrapping and decorating ideas. You can go to Dollar Stores or Walmart,etc. and get cute things to decorate the bags or packages. One year I wrapped alot of stuff in "old-timey" looking wrapping paper and tied a wooden spoon into the top and used it as my "to & from" card- just wrote to so and so, from so and so on the spoon. I've also tied those metal cookie cutters on top of packages, stuck small candy bars on top of packages, used the Sunday comics to wrap a child's gift, and so on. You can get really creative without spending alot of money. Yes, we also reuse the bags- it's a running joke between my DIL and I that we pass the bags back and forth and say that's these are our "community bags"...They still look brand new so why throw them out?

[Jomar]

eeesh -last year we didn't even set a tree up - just placed the gifts in a corner. Daughter set up the decorations and the little 2' tree.

Oh I remember why - we used hubby's week off to redo our bedroom- so that was the priority.

My sis in law always does all these fancy bows and foil wrapping - it looks so pretty.
but I'm more of a bare bones type- LOL

[LisaL-TOS]

Needing good pumpkin pie recipe for diabetics. Daughter, sister and uncle are diabetics and will be together for Thanksgiving. Also butternut squash recipe.

Thanks

[Jomar]

Well one of the first years I made pumpkin pie for the BIG family holiday -- I totally forgot to put in any sugar!
But the crust was very good LOL

Can they use stevia with out any problems?
It's a natural sweetener, but I don't know if it would affect blood sugar levels or not.

[dahlek]

Yourself! Some traditions, are just that. Many other decorating stuff, is just STUFF. I make up a bunch of breads in those little tins, wrap them up and freeze them - pulling them out to thaw in time to 'pop' into those gift bags. That way, no one is omitted. Can pace my baking, & clean-up according to how I feel that day.

A small tree [very small], a live wreath is all I do inside plus presents. We each put a list of 'want's' on the fridge and others can pick 'n choose Plus anything else. Wreaths on a window and door is all that's outside. No lights, no other frou frous.

I should be the spirit of the holidays that we show, not the material aspects.

Pain-free moments or even longer to all! - j

[Jomar]

my youngest is 16 and the boys are mid 20s {no grandkids yet} so the mystery of Santa Claus isn't needed anymore.
I put lights on the pretty shaped evergreen out by our pond and just leave those out there year around- just rearrange them if needed. They reflect nicely in the water too.
The tree is so dense that you can't see the lights unless they are on.

Since we are out in the country we just do any outside deco for ourselves - that we can see looking out the main windows.
Our house is kind of small so not much room for the extra deco inside- just a few things.

[redjpwranglergirl]

Originally Posted by jo55

my youngest is 16 and the boys are mid 20s {no grandkids yet} so the mystery of Santa Claus isn't needed anymore.
I put lights on the pretty shaped evergreen out by our pond and just leave those out there year around- just rearrange them if needed. They reflect nicely in the water too.
The tree is so dense that you can't see the lights unless they are on.

Since we are out in the country we just do any outside deco for ourselves - that we can see looking out the main windows.
Our house is kind of small so not much room for the extra deco inside- just a few things.

You've given me an idea- I have a HUGE pencil cactus in a big pot outside- it's about 8 ft. tall and at least 4 ft. wide (I don't know what happened to this thing....It started from 3 little "sticks" of cactus that I just stuck in a pot and now it looks like something from a SciFi movie) and I think I'll string some lights on it and put some balls on and light it up outside- should be a very interesting Christmas tree.

I see what you're saying dahlek. I do pace myself and if I'm going to do any Christmas baking, I take one weekend day during the month of Dec. and spend all day at it and if hubby is home he helps too. I then put stuff in tins or baskets and take it around to the neighbors right around us. I don't do this every year though- just depends on how I feel. I just enjoy doing it- these are the kinds of things I did with my gr'mother when I was young and it brings back some wonderful memories. This is the spirit of the holidays for me. We're not very caught up in the material things either, although we do enjoy buying for our gr'son and "seeing" Christmas again through a young ones eyes. I do think that the idea of the Christmas shopping season has gotten totally out of hand though- with stores putting out Christmas decorations back in the summer around here. I think too many people are focused on how much money they can spend or how much someone has spent on them and what kind of possessions they got for Christmas and making sure everybody knows about it....We didn't grow up being like that and I still find it very obnoxious, especially when there are so many in this country who are struggling or going without. There are so many ways to give back, to those who are in need, and that's the true spirit of Christmas to our family. The purpose of this thread, for me, was to see if we could exchange ideas with each other as to what we do to make the holidays easier, in whatever way we choose to or are able to celebrate them. There's no way that I do near as much as what my mother and gr'mother used to do when I was growing up.

[Jomar]

For the big family dinners -
Do most of you do a potluck style dinner?

For example the host does the turkey or ham, & the rest are assigned or choose to bring a dessert, salad, spuds, side dishes etc??
The grown kids usually bring chips and pop or snacks.

That's how we've been doing it for years.

for the gift exchange we draw names and set a $ limit, or do generic gift and draw numbers