Hello Dear Reader,
Christmas and I don't have a good relationship. I have a way of dealing with one sided over bearing relationships and I just bin them, it's sort of what I'm doing with the aspects of Christmas that I just find, well........over bearing and one sided. There are bits that I love: celebrating the real Christmas, time with my family and friends. The bits I can't love, not even if I try is the relentless commercialism. Don't think this means I sit in a cave with a blanket over my head, far from it. I take it in good humour and remember that some people love the frenzy of shopping and face stuffing. Each to their own and may they get on with it.
Across Twitter @street_bank is promoting it's challenge that people 'give-away-a-thing-a-day' for advent. Now that's a Christmas tradition that I could enjoy. It sent me around the house, into the cupboards, garden shed and attic to look for things that I can give away.
I found:
A bag and a half of coal,
Two set of curtains,
shoes,
books,
bags
storage containers
baking tins
washing line
place mats
and that was just a half an hour hunt round.
I thought of ways of leaving books on the bus, the train or in coffee shops. I thought of items I could take to work with the sign, 'please take me' This I thought, with a bit of creativity could turn into something really fun.
Now, even if you love buying pressies, or making pressies this will still involve bringing more stuff or new stuff into your homes so why not make the most of this and find things you can give away. You could also come up with some ideas of ways of giving things away. Why not use Twitter or Facebook? Why not instagram items and offer them? You could simply pass things into the local charity shop or take toys to a local play scheme or a local child minder who you've heard of or might know. Why not have a give away box at work and people could pop things in it.
I love the work of the Trussell Trust and it would be lovely if you could dig around your cupboards and drop items into your local foodbank collection point. Along with my usual posts, I will include a photograph of the item I'm giving away that day.
If nothing else, it's a great excuse for a good clear out and it will help my head deal with wall to wall advertising, selling and the constant invitation to spend money.
On that note, I'm off to find 24 items to give away and think of ways I can give them away. How about you?
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxx