Saturday, December 27, 2008

‘Live Small’ message is getting through to my family

Though my brother complied with my ‘no gifts, or small or homemade ones only - under fifty cents’ policy for Christmas, he was clearly embarrassed when I unwrapped the blue dusting glove.

“I don’t know what you’ll do with it,” he said. “but it was under fifty cents.”

“It’s perfect for my shop,” I said.

“But I have no eyes,” it said, when I used it as a hand puppet.

“That comes in handy when dusting,” I replied.

[My favourite - the duct tape wallet: photo GAH]

He felt better after 3 others opened the same gift and started to perform as a dust glove choir.

My brother felt better still after I showed him my new wallet - made of duct tape - an earlier gift from my youngest son.

I told him it came with room for six credit cards, two sections for bills and its own emergency kit.

“Emergency kit?” he said.

I pulled out a spare piece of duct tape stuck to wax paper from a bill fold.

“In case it rips,” I said.

Small, homemade, under fifty cents.

Yes, I received a pound of coffee, one bottle of Scottish ale and pajama pants as well... but we are learning to keep things small.

A-1 I say.

***

My wife bought the pajama pants because when my other pair are in the wash I walk around the house in old red longjohns.

Sorry about the scary visual. Look away.

.

2 comments:

bobbie said...

I love your little Christmas gifts!
I did persuade most of my family to buy less. But I don't think I'll ever get that through to my son. His gifts were lovely, but expensive. However, they were also practical, so I guess that's a start. And I'm quite sure a couple of other people's were actually re-gifts, which I happen to think is a very good idea. A lot better than letting things languish in a closet or drawer and never get used by anyone.

G. Harrison said...

Hi bobbie,

I appreciated your comment, especially re re-gifting.

my brother is a notorious re-gifter, and gets encouragement from his siblings to do so. We usually have a good laugh about stuff;

"Where did it come from?"

"If we don't use it, who gets it next?"

I also think re-gifting is a very good idea; many books, for example, could easily be passed around.

cheers,

Gord H.