Are you impressed? I'm actually going to post about this challenge on the actual Wednesday that it is posted on the host blog. I think I'll give myself a pat on the back.
Ok, this week's challenge is:
This week, rather than shop in stores for new holiday gifts, shop in your "closets". Open up boxes of stored items, check jewelry boxes and dresser drawers ... venture into the basement and up into the attic. Look for special items to give this year. This can be something fun and silly ... or something meaningful, like an heirloom.
Or ...
If this is something you regularly do, we'd love to hear about some of the special gifts you've given.
I have to admit, I'm actually pretty much done with my Christmas shopping already. The few things left to get are specific items Husband wants that I have to order online. So I can't really participate in this one this year. Unless I find something that would be something extra. However, part of the problem, is that when I'm finished with something I tend to donate it, so I don't have a lot of stuff stored away in boxes.
Now, recently, I did loan a bunch of pants and jeans to my sister. I've gone down several pant sizes within this past year and my oldest sister is headed back to work after the latest pregnancy and needed bigger work pants. My pants were all stored for when I would need them in the future so I loaned them all to her to use as long as she needs. I didn't want to get rid of the pants because they are in excellent shape and if I'm ever pregnant they are pants I can wear as I grow out of my current ones and before I need maternity pants. Plus, if I gain weight I could wear them again. (I learned this the hard way. When I gained weight a couple of years ago I got rid of all the pants that no longer fit, now I could fit into them but no longer have them.). So while this isn't actually re-gifting since she'll give them back, it is a way to help somebody so they didn't have to buy new clothes for a limited amount of time.
Ok...more towards the re-gifting though. While I don't have anything to gift, I will mention that I have a ton of Christmas bags and decorative boxes that will be re-used this year. I can't tell you when I last bought a Christmas gift bag. It's been years. Each Christmas when I receive one, I save it so I can re-use it in years to come. My guess is that I'm re-using ones that I've given away too since my sisters do the same thing. I also save the white clothes boxes and decorative Christmas boxes. I re-use these to gift wrap too. This not only helps us save money, but it's better for the environment too because we aren't throwing it away or recycling it.
If you plan to re-gift something, I would love to hear what it is. Heck, maybe it will remind me of something similar that I have and could give away.
Wow ... you really deserve that pat on the back ... so I'll up you one ... a pat on the back and some applause (can you hear us cheering and clapping?). :)
ReplyDeleteI really like the part about not keeping stuff around but rather donating it when you are done with it. That's great! Sometimes I put stuff in a box and think that eventually I'll want it but ... the thing is that someone could be using it right now and when "eventually" arrives, I can find what I need from freecycle or a thrift store, etc.
I started digging around and found a really cool book light which has never been used. It's going to make a great stocking stuffer. I also found some old, old family pictures ... I'm thinking of putting them together in a frame for a nice collage of family moments. :)
Thanks for taking the challenge ... I always look forward to your posts! :)
Oh..something with the old family pictures would be really cool! I love stuff like that. I have borrowed some family history stuff my Grandparents had and keep meaning to make copies of it all, since I'm into that kind of thing. Perhaps I should actually work on that and do scrapbooks for my family for next year. hmm....
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