| It's exactly one week until Christmas, and I am not | | | | lists concise and build around themes. You'll be able to |
| ready. My heart is prepared. Hands are not. There are | | | | conserve shopping trips, visiting only a few stores |
| still gifts to purchase, wrap and ship. Pies to bake and | | | | rather then a dozen or more. We all need to do our |
| deliver. Cookies to package for the neighbors. | | | | part in conserving gas, and this one will add a few |
| My kitchen table is serving triple duty as a storage | | | | good measures to that end. I stock up at Trader |
| facility, wrapping island and veritable nerve center for | | | | Joe's on all sorts of organic soups, chocolates, teas |
| the preparations still un-done. Tissue paper and | | | | and coffees and give out healthier goodie bags than |
| ribbons and tape and scissors and markers and boxes | | | | what I could purchase elsewhere, all at decent |
| stand ready to be put into service. But long days at | | | | prices.o Don't go nuts on wrapping. Use brown paper |
| the office and after-work board meetings and | | | | bags and boxes wherever possible. If you get a box |
| parenting responsibilities keep me from moving at the | | | | filled with Styrofoam peanuts, re-use it on another |
| pace to which I had, for years, become accustomed. | | | | gift rather than dumping it; this stuff will last for |
| These last three years have practically forced me to | | | | years. Consider plain newspaper or popcorn for fillers |
| adopt a simpler approach to the Holidays. I have | | | | instead. Go simple on gift tags and ribbons, too. |
| weeded out the frivolous from the essentials; | | | | Recycle old favorites and come up with your own |
| trimmed my gift list; abandoned some | | | | style that is timeless yet festive. For years, I used |
| earlier-treasured rituals; and adopted a "green" | | | | manila hang tags tied to old-fashioned twine; now I |
| approach to help me accomplish all of the above | | | | use white round metal-lined mailing tags which already |
| while simultaneously helping preserve our planet. | | | | come with a ring, easily slipped through a silk ribbon |
| First of all, if you are not keeping long lists each | | | | and large enough to write a tiny inscription.o Consider |
| Christmas of what you purchased and for whom, and | | | | re-stringing your tree with LED lights. More expensive |
| what you received and from whom, start doing this | | | | in the short run, they'll outlast the old ones in the long |
| now. My own lists go back almost twenty years and | | | | run. And of course, they're better for Mother Earth.o |
| have "green-ed" me up by saving our family's three | | | | The true "greenies" will tell you to buy a real tree, or |
| most precious resources: time, energy and money. | | | | better yet, to dig one up and re-plant it after |
| Not having to re-invent the wheel every year saves | | | | Christmas has passed. We have allergies to the real |
| one tons of pre-Christmas anxiety, too. I group | | | | thing, so we have an artificial tree. Nothing wrong |
| families together as I do friends and business | | | | with that either as it's used again and again and |
| colleagues. If you are visually sensitive as I am, you | | | | again.o Go through all of those paper shopping bags |
| will start "seeing" your Christmas list in your head, and | | | | you have laying around (I did that this weekend and |
| every time you are out and about, you can start | | | | was aghast at how many we'd collected; I spent a |
| thinking of what you should buy for those you most | | | | good half-hour sorting and re-folding). I was also |
| love all year long. That said:o Hand craft, bake or | | | | pleasantly surprised at how many of them could be |
| cook as many gifts as possible. They'll be more | | | | used a second or even third time as most bags |
| appreciated by the recipient, save you money and | | | | these days are quite beautiful. If you keep this kind |
| prevent yet more stuff from accumulating in areas | | | | of stuff, make sure they're handy and in good shape |
| where that's the last thing needed. Stick to your | | | | so that you can do your part in recycling them for |
| favorites and make them again and again. I make my | | | | further good.o Use recycled paper for your annual |
| favorite Kentucky pecan pie every Christmas for a | | | | Christmas letter, if you still send one. Recycled cards, |
| half-dozen folks on my list and pick up stoneware pie | | | | too. Our family's list gets longer each year, and we're |
| plates whenever and wherever I can find them | | | | happy about having an ever-expanding circle. I shop |
| throughout the year.o Buy antiques and gently-used | | | | for cards the day after Christmas in order to buy |
| stuff. It moves recycling one step further, the gifts | | | | them at half-price for the next year. Again, it's all |
| will inevitably be more unique than those bought from | | | | about planning.o Lastly, consider throwing one big |
| department stores or catalogs, and the recipient will | | | | party where you allow Holiday cheer to pervade your |
| value the time you spent shopping for something | | | | home, family and friends. Spreading joy to those in |
| extra-special for him or her. I picked up some | | | | your circles in this way allows you to touch dozens |
| gorgeous antique jewelry on my last trip into New | | | | of folks at one time and keeps efficiencies of time, |
| York for a few people on my list; I know I'll never | | | | energy and money at bay. Splurge for one morning |
| see such wonderful stuff again. One of my best | | | | or one night knowing that you've filled lots of people |
| friends got something from a local antique store | | | | with the Christmas spirit. |
| when I found them early this year. Know what your | | | | From my heart to yours, I wish you a Merry |
| friends collect and keep your eyes open for it | | | | Christmas and a Happy New Year! |
| throughout the year. (Roosters anyone?)o Make your | | | | |