Christmas In July Week 2 10th-16th

[Miss JoDee]

AJ - The wrapping idea are just my style. Will most likely have to use up what I have in order not to waste and then when that is done I think I will only use Kraft paper and what ever and some of the ideas you posted.

Love the breakfast basket too!

 

[tanya]

Now is also the time of year that I begin to stock up on a few items for our Charity giving. There are a few things that we participate in every year- makes it easier to have items on hand as needed.

DS's school has a Christmas Tucker drive. (Tucker is a slang word here for food- I think it comes from an Aboriginal word- Indigenous Australians). Each year families are asked to donate non perishable food items to make hampers up for families who may not have Christmas. I try to add something to my basket each time I go to the shops so by the time it rolls around we have a nice stash to donate- I do check items for use by dates prior to purchasing though!

A friend is involved in a charity that organises gifts for those less fortunate. They struggle every year with items for older kids- apparently they get lots for the little ones but not for the teens. I try to pick up a few shower gels, lotions, nail polishes, cute notebooks etc between now and then to help them out.

The Wishing Tree- this is run by a local department store. It is where you give a gift for a child- you pick the gender/ age of the child and place the item under the tree in store. Items can be purchased from the store but they don't need to be. DS is extremely fortunate and to me it is important that he understands that not everyone is. Each year I take him shopping to select an item for a boy and girl about his age. He chooses the items himself based on his own interests that year. Im proud to say that this has become an important tradition in our home. When discussing Christmas every year- he always reminds me to schedule this activity in our calendar. DS also helps to pay for these items. He does some stuff around the house for me and the $ he earns goes to covering some of the cost of the gifts.

There will be a new one for us this year. My vets runs a charitable arm they call Project HoPe- short for Homeless Pets. Many homeless people here have pets. They ask for donations of pet food, toys, blankets, leashes, collars etc that they can distribute to those living rough with pets. They also do free vaccinations of pets that live rough on the streets and have built kennels at a couple of homeless shelters so those with pets can go there.

There has been a lot of media publicity here about charity administration costs- saying that much of actual $ donated by people are actually not going to the less fortunate but are being eaten away in admin costs. That is why we prefer to donate actual items rather than cash. Personal but I feel that this way the items that we donate are actually going to those that need it.

 

[DahliaDoll]

AJ ~ Great links to gift wrapping ideas! If you're sending to someone who would put bows on for you, you might consider the pull string bows
https://www.amazon.com/24-Pull-String-Bows-Different/dp/B0052EQ48G
I sent them with packages to DD#1 one year, but I don't think she actually put them on. Your links are cuter though!

The Gingerbread pancake mix sounds great. If you're interested, I could share my recipe for I-Hop Harvest Grain 'n Nut pancakes. I love them so much! When I want to make them for guests, I usually prepare the dry ingredients ahead of time into a mix that's ready to go. Just add the wet ingredients (egg, buttermilk and a little oil).

Tanya ~ Your charitable giving is very inspiring!

 

[AuntJamelle]

DJ - I will have to check out those pull string bows! You are just mentioning things left and right I've never heard of, I love it! And yes, I would love the pancake recipe! I will never turn down a highly recommended recipe!

tanya - Excellent, excellent points on the charitable gift giving! I think that this year we will do something with our DS similar or the same as what you described.

I coordinated an adopt a family effort at my workplace last year and loved it! Folks all chipped in and I did all the shopping and wrapping and then a co-worker helped me deliver it all to the local cancer center - it was for a single mom family where the mom had been out of work for a while due to the illness

I went to town on making the wrapping look pretty and the mom mentioned in a note how much that extra detail meant to them, that someone cared enough to take that extra time - I'm tearing up again now thinking about it...

Bottom line, doing our bit to "take care of each other" is a really good thing! We may even adopt two families at work this year! And then we have our own private things we do of course. I like the idea of the homeless pets needs, will have to look into that one!

 

[Ahorsesoul]

We have a homeless shelter not far from us. They post what they need on FB. I'm trying to do something each month for them with a Christmas spirit in my heart.

 

[DahliaDoll]

DJ - I will have to check out those pull string bows! You are just mentioning things left and right I've never heard of, I love it! And yes, I would love the pancake recipe! I will never turn down a highly recommended recipe!

Brainstorming and sharing ideas is one of the things I like best about participating in a forum. Glad I could give you a couple new ideas. Some may work for you and others, maybe not.

Side note: We are having thunder showers which we rarely have (thunder that is). It must be because I hung sheets on the line!

Here's the pancake recipe:


International House of Pancakes
Harvest Grain 'N Nut Pancakes

3/4 cup Quaker oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped blanched almonds
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts

Lightly oil a skillet or griddle and preheat it to medium heat. Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine, like flour. Combine oat flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl combine buttermilk, oil, egg and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, add nuts and mix well with mixer. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot skillet and cook the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes per side or until brown.

Makes 8 pancakes.

You can cover and freeze these after they cool.
To reheat, just put a stack in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.