THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU CAN GIVE- AND IT DOESN'T COST ANY MONEY.

OK- THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR- RIGHT HERE AND NOW-WHERE WE ALL START TO GO CRAZY- GET STRESSED OUT AND DEPRESSED- WORRY- HAVE ANXIETY- CRY- FRET-SOB- --- IS YOUR HOLIDAY GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE? WELL I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU- AND MYSELF A REALITY CHECK.

YOU SEE-- IS THIS WHAT CHRISTMAS AND THE HOLIDAYS ARE ALL ABOUT? SHOULD BE ABOUT? NO NO AND NO.

SO FIRSTLY-- THIS BLOG-- I HOPE, IN NO WAY CONTRIBUTES TO THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE HOLIDAYS. THAT'S NOT WHAT IT'S MEANT TO BE. IT'S MEANT TO BE A DAILY ESCAPE- A DAILY FANTASY- FROM ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING IN THE WORLD-   AND PERHAPS YOUR LIFE.  I TRY AND OFFER YOU DAILY VISUAL BEAUTY- THAT IS FREE TO YOU. YOU CAN COME HERE, AND KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND TEN DOLLARS ON A MAGAZINE JUST TO LOOK AT THE PICTURES.  I FEEL THAT SIMPLY JUST LOOKING AT ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD- FROM FASHION AND DECOR, ART AND THE ARTS... ALL THE GLAMOUR, GLITZ AND SPARKLE- FILLS OUR SOUL AND SPIRIT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF JOY EACH DAY- AND IT DIDN'T COST YOU ANY MONEY.

I FEEL THAT MONEY SPENT ON THE HOLIDAYS SHOULD BE MONEY YOU HAVE TO GIVE AND WANT TO SHARE WITH OTHERS. BECAUSE GIVING TO OTHERS IS THE TRULY ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS OF ALL. YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD- BUT IF YOU HAVE NO ONE TO SHARE IT WITH, IT IS MEANINGLESS AND EMPTY.

NOW OK- REALITY- WE ALL NEED MONEY TO LIVE. YOU CAN'T GO TO THE GAS PUMP AND MAGICALLY MAKE YOUR CAR BE FILLED WITH GAS. AND THEY DON'T TAKE SMILES AT THE GROCERY STORE CHECKOUT-- YES WE NEED MONEY TO LIVE ON- BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TONS OF MONEY TO MAKE IT AN AMAZING HOLIDAY.

I'VE HEARD IN MANY STUDIES- THAT WHAT PEOPLE LIKE MOST ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS ARE: 

I: THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND LIGHTS.

 II: THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC. 

ESSENTIALLY- WE LOVE THE "THAT MAGICAL FEELING" THAT IS CREATED THROUGH OUR VISUAL EYE AND OUR DESIRE TO SEE AND FEEL THE BEAUTY, TO HEAR THE MUSIC OF THE HOLIDAYS. 

I BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE. THE MUSIC ALWAYS TAKES ME AWAY TO A PLACE OF BEAUTY THAT IS INDESCRIBABLE BUT ESSENTIALLY A PLACE OF LOVELY.

SO AS I MYSELF SIT HERE AND GO -- "CHRISTMAS IS IN TWO WEEKS AND I'VE BEEN SO BUSY I HAVEN'T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT CHRISTMAS CARDS- COOKIES- SHOPPING- WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?? HOW DID IT SNEAK UP ON ME SO FAST! WHEN AM I GOING TO HAVE TIME TO GET IT ALL DONE."
I REALLY AND HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW. WHEN DID I GET SO BEHIND? I USE TO BE SO ON IT- SO PREPARED - SO TOGETHER? WELL I GUESS LIFE HAS MERELY GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF MY NORMAL ROCKWELL CHRISTMAS. "SO WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?" I DIDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT WORRYING ABOUT ALL OF IT... SO THIS IN PART IS MINE- AND YOURS-- MOMENT- "TO GET A GRIP".

AS I WAS FRETTING ABOUT HOW I WAS GOING TO GET IT ALL DONE- PULL OFF A ANOTHER WOW HOLIDAY-  BUY GREAT GIFTS THAT EVERYONE WANTS--MAKE IT FABULOUS  FOR EVERYONE AT THE EXPENSE OF MY MIND, SPIRIT, AND SOUL...  I STOP AND REGROUP.

DOES ANYONE EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I GAVE THEM LAST YEAR  FOR CHRISTMAS? PROBABLY NOT.

SO OK- WHAT'S IMPORTANT?:

1. DECORATE THE HOUSE AS BEST YOU. 

CREATE THE AMBIANCE. USE WHAT YOU HAVE.

2. PLAY THE MAGICAL HOLIDAY MUSIC.

I CAN DO THAT, YOU CAN DO THAT.

THESE THINGS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE,  SO NOW YOU HAVE YOUR HOLIDAY SETTING.

IT DIDN'T COST YOU ANY MONEY.

NOW- GIFTS-- HOW CAN YOU MAKE IT A FUN A CHRISTMAS- WITH GIFTS- THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON. 

WELL- HERE ARE SOME THINGS I HAVE DONE AT VARIOUS POINTS IN MY LIFE- AND THEY REALLY ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE GIFTS MY FAMILY REMEMBERS AND CHERISHES MOST.

ONE GIFT IN PARTICULAR I HAVE GIVEN AND CONTINUE TO GIVE IS SOMETHING I CALL THE POWER BOX. I GET A BOX- ANY BOX- IT CAN BE SOMETHING CUTE YOU BUY OR MAKE OR FIND AT GARAGE SALE- OR AROUND THE HOUSE. ANY LITTLE BOX WILL DO.   

THE BOX ITSELF IS EMPTY- EXCEPT FOR A NOTE.

THE NOTE SAYS: YOU HAVE  BEEN GIVEN THE POWER.

ON THIS SPECIAL HOLIDAY I HERE BY ENABLE YOU TO RETRIEVE TO THE POWER WITHIN YOU TO BE AND DO ALL THAT YOUR HEART DESIRES. 

I  BELIEVE IN YOU, LOVE YOU AND KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THAT YOU DREAM AND IMAGINE. 

KNOW THAT THE POWER IS WITHIN YOU AND YOU MUST BELIEVE IT SO, IN ORDER TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS A REALITY. 

ALL THE POWER OF THE UNIVERSE IS WITHIN YOU- SO I SET YOU FREE OF YOUR FEARS, DOUBTS AND INHIBITIONS- AND GIVE YOU THE POWER TO BE WHAT YOU ARE MEANT TO BE. 

THAT'S THE POWER BOX GIFT I HAVE GIVEN TO ABOUT THREE VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY--- THEY STILL TALK ABOUT THAT GIFT.

 I TAKE THE LITTLE POWER BOX-- AND I WRAP IT UP JUST AS IF I WERE WRAPPING A SWEATER. 

YOU SEE- PEOPLE LOVE THE PACKAGE, THE PRESENTATION. THAT LEADS ME TO MY SECOND "FREE" HOLIDAY SUGGESTION.

WRAP WRAP WRAP AWAY--- PEOPLE I HAVE FOUND OFTEN LOVE THE PACKAGE MORE THAN THE PRESENT. 

THEY LOVE THE BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION- THE ANTICIPATION- THE EXCITEMENT OF THE PRETTY PACKAGE- THAT SOMEONE CARED ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY WRAP AND MAKE A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FOR THEM. 

THE GIFT OFTEN DOESN'T MATTER, IT'S THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT.

 SO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE IT FUN--- GET A ZILLION BOXES  AND WRAP AWAY-- YOU CAN GIVE A MILLION GIFTS THIS WAY--- JUST GIVE PRETTY PACKAGES---. WHAT CAN YOU PUT INSIDE??

 WELL- BE CREATIVE-- YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND GIFTS YOU HAVE GIVEN IN THE HOUSE FROM LAST YEAR-- UNOPENED -- PUT THOSE IN.  SEARCH THE PANTRY- GIVE A CAN OF SOUP- A BOTTLE OF BEER- A ROCK FROM THE YARD-- WRITE SOMETHING OF THE ROCK- LIKE I LOVE YOU- IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER- BUT YOU CAN REALLY HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH IT AND LOT OF LAUGHS AS WELL.

  I HAVE WRAPPED A BOX IN A BOX IN A BOX IN A BOX IN A BOX-- I'M TALKING I HAVE GOTTEN GIGANTIC BOXES-- AND WRAPPED 20 BOXES INSIDE. MY KIDS ALWAYS FIND THIS SO FUNNY AND OFTEN WONDER WHO WILL GET THAT BOX CHRISTMAS MORNING. 

OR I MAKE THE BOX A PHYSICAL CHALLENGE UNTO ITSELF. I MAKE THE BOX IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN--- LIKE IT CAN TAKE HOURS TO GET IT OPEN. WHETHER IT'S SUPER GLUED- TAPED TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH- OR TIED WITH SO MANY TRICK KNOTS OF RIBBON... YOU GET THE POINT. YOU SIT THERE WATCHING THE PERSON  FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPEN THE BOX-- AND IT PROVIDES MANY LAUGHS. 

 ANOTHER BOX-PACKAGE THING I HAVE DONE AT CHRISTMAS IS- SAY I HAVE GOTTEN ONE SPECIAL GIFT-- I CREATE A SERIES OF BOXES-- EACH WITH A SECRET MESSAGE INSIDE--  THE FIRST BOX- AND CLUE-- THAT IS OPENED- CAN LEAD TO THE NEXT CLUE--- YOU CAN DO THIS 20 TIMES OF SECRET MESSAGES AND CLUES--- THAT EVENTUALLY LEAD TO THAT ONE SPECIAL GIFT. 

 THIS IS A WAY OF CREATING HOURS OF EXCITEMENT OVER ONE GIFT. IT IS ACTUALLY A GAME, SO TO SPEAK. THE RECEIVER IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SECRET CLUES- THAT LEAD TO THE NEXT TO THE NEXT TO THE NEXT-- TO EVENTUALLY THE GIFT. 

AGAIN THIS COSTS NO MONEY. IT'S FREE-.YOUR IMAGINATION IS ALL YOU NEED. I WILL TELL YOU THEY WILL NEVER FORGET THAT CHRISTMAS MOMENT. I STILL GET " REMEMBER WHEN YOU DID THAT?!!

"IT WAS ACTUALLY A CELL PHONE I GAVE. I TOOK THE NUMBERS OF THE CELL PHONE-- WROTE THEM EACH ON A PIECE OF PAPER SEPARATELY AND WRAPPED THEM UP EACH IN A BOX.  THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT THE PHONE NUMBER.  YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW LONG THIS TOOK!!! I DID EVENTUALLY GIVE A FEW CLUES--- IT WAS TAKING HOURS AND I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING. 

WHEN THE CELL NUMBER WAS FINALLY FIGURED OUT- SHE CALLED THE NUMBER. THERE IT WAS, RINGING ATOP THE CHRISTMAS TREE- HIDDEN IN ALL THE BRANCHES AND DECORATIONS.

I ALWAYS WRAP UP ONE BIG BOX- INSIDE- A SPECIAL HOLIDAY LETTER- OF LOVE- TO EACH AND EVERYONE I LOVE.

 I DON'T SIMPLY GIVE A CHRISTMAS CARD.

 I WRITE A DETAILED, SINCERE LETTER- TO THOSE ON MY LOVE LIST, WRAP IT UP IN A BIG BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE-- WALA-- ANOTHER GIFT-- YOU SPENT NO MONEY ON. 

YOU DID, HOWEVER, TAKE THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT AND COMMUNICATE HOW IMPORTANT SOMEONE IS TO YOU.

I GUARANTEE YOU THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN BUY THAT WILL MATCH HOW MUCH THAT LETTER WILL MEAN TO THE PERSON YOU GIVE IT TO. 

THEY WON'T REMEMBER THE CLOTHES AND RANDOM GIFTS YOU BUY-- BUT THEY WILL REMEMBER THAT LETTER. 

THAT LETTER WHERE SAID  HOW PROUD YOU ARE OF THEM, HOW MUCH YOU LOVE THEM, HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU.  ALL THE 'LITTLE THINGS YOU CAN THINK OF AND SAY. THIS WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A LIFETIME. I PROMISE.  

NO MONEY SPENT--- JUST A TRUE GIFT FROM THE HEART.

A LITTLE  MONEY SPENT ON TAPE AND WRAPPING PAPER. BUT YOU CAN ALSO WRAP GIFTS WITH THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE LIKE PAPER BAGS, SHEETS, FABRIC- NEWSPAPER- ANYTHING- JUST USE YOUR IMAGINATION. 

ANYTHING YOU CAN MAKE- AGAIN TRULY ARE THE BEST GIFTS IN MY OPINION.

HERE'S A BRIEF LIST OF QUICK, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD GIFT IDEAS THAT ARE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE:

1. PHOTO GIFTS: MAKE YOUR OWN PHOTO COLLAGE- PRINT OUT A BUNCH OF PHOTOS OFF YOUR PRINTER- ( NOT PHOTO PAPER JUST PRINTER PAPER) USE MODGE PODGE- CUT THEM ALL AND PIECE TOGETHER ON A BOARD- OR CANVAS- OR A ANYTHING- IT'S A FABULOUS GIFT! PROMISE.

2. GET A T-SHIRT FROM THE DOLLAR STORE- SHARPIES- CREATE A NIGHT SHIRT WITH FUN SAYINGS- INSIDE JOKES- DRAW ON IT- ANYTHING- I'VE CREATED SOME HILARIOUS SHIRTS.  VERY FUN GIFT!

3. MUSIC-- REMEMBER THAT ON?  GIFT A PLAY LIST TO ANYONE. I'VE CREATED CHRISTMAS MUSIC CD'S AND GIVEN TO ALL MY NEIGHBORS... EASY GIFT AND EVERYONE LOVES CHRISTMAS MUSIC- RIGHT?!

4. MAKE A SPECIAL HOLIDAY ORNAMENT FOR A PERSON-  A MILLION DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES- IT'S EASY- AND YOU CAN MAKE IT SIGNIFICANT TO A PARTICULAR MILESTONE IN A PERSON'S LIFE THAT YEAR. THEY WILL CHERISH IT FOREVER ESPECIALLY EACH HOLIDAY THERE AFTER WHEN THEY HANG THAT ORNAMENT ON A TREE.

5. DRAW A PICTURE, SING A SONG- DO A DANCE- ANYTHING- THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFTS ARE THOSE WE CREATE AND GIVE THOUGHT TOO.

YES GIFTS ARE GREAT- IF YOU HAVE IT SPEND- AND TO SHARE WITH OTHERS. I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THE HYPE OF WHAT YOU THINK WILL MAKE A GREAT CHRISTMAS... AND WHAT REALLY WILL MAKE A GREAT CHRISTMAS.

IF YOU CAN BUY SOMEONE A NEW CAR- WONDERFUL, DO IT. WHY NOT-? WE NEED TO KEEP OUR ECONOMY THRIVING. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT REALLY MATTERS. JUST A REALITY CHECK.  I WAS RANDOMLY CLICKING THROUGH THE TV CHANNELS WHILE TRAVELING LAST WEEK AND LANDED ON THAT STUPID KARDASHIAN SHOW -- IT WAS A "KARDASHIAN HOLIDAY MOMENTS" SHOWING ALL THE GIFTS THEY GAVE TO EACH OTHER OVER YEARS AND IT ACTUALLY MADE ME SICK.
 I KNOW THE SHOW IS MEANT TO BE A "FANTASY LIFE" TYPE OF THING-- WHICH CAN BE FUN-- I GUESS- BUT I HATE IT.  I WAS DISGUSTED THAT THESE PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY FIND ANY VALUE OR JOY OR PEACE WHATSOEVER IN GIVING EACH OTHER MEANINGLESS GIFTS WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSEDLY MILLIONAIRES. I THOUGHT "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?" NOT ONLY ARE THEY BORING AND UNTALENTED- THEY ARE IDIOTS. WHY COULD THEY NOT DO A SHOW WHERE THEY ACTUALLY MADE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD?  WHERE THEY SHARED THE GIFTS THEY HAD TO MAKE OTHERS' LIVES BETTER. I COULD NOT IMAGINE HOW THEY ALL COULD THINK THIS CHRISTMAS TELEVISION SHOW OF GREED AND SELF GRATIFICATION WAS A GOOD THING. IT JUST SEEMED ALL SO WRONG.

SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO ME TODAY-- JUST THE HOLIDAY THING I GUESS. I WANT YOU TO FIND THE JOY IN HOLIDAYS BY LOVING THE ONES WHO HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE. 
SIMPLY BY LETTING THEM KNOW. SHARE IF YOU CAN- (FINANCIALLY SPEAKING) AND IF YOU CAN'T -- REMEMBER MY SUGGESTIONS ABOVE. YOU CAN MAKE IT AS GREAT A HOLIDAY AS YOU WANT- IT'S UP TO YOU.
FORGIVE ALL MY TYPOS AND GRAMMAR ERRORS-- WHEN I GET TYPING ON CERTAIN THINGS,  I'M ALL OVER THE PLACE. 

XOXO,  ZSAZSA, WISHING YOU A PEACEFUL, LOVING AND JOYFUL HOLIDAY SEASON.

*