Rather than buy gifts for extended family and friends, she suggested everyone get together in the New Year for a free family fun days of tobogganing and building snowmen, It filled their January and February with "healthy, fun-filled play dates... Not one child complained about not getting gifts from their friends at Christmas." Her family alone saved almost $500 and everyone was grateful, since they were thinking about it as well, but no one wanted to be the one to ask. Even though I have no little ones at home, my circle of friends have children of varying ages, and the child in each of us will surely enjoy and outing of youthful fun.
Although it was never intended as a "Christmas" gift, just the other day, my friend Lisa was having a bad day and her friend Trudy drove all the way from Airdrie (4 hours away) to cheer her up. I suggested coming out to the farm (another 45 minute drive) for a sleep over. I even invited our friend Wanda with whom we haven't spent a lot of time with over the past two years to join us as well. With the extra work of packing and carting the kids for them and washing sheets and making beds for me, we all had a wonderful evening of bonding in front of the fire with glasses of wine while the kids played and watched tv on the other side of the house. After a late night and 5 hours sleep, the 4 mothers, 3 girls and 2 boys were treated to breakfast cooked by 1 wonderful man (not a partridge in a pear tree) who took all the kids for a "redneck sleigh ride" (pulling a hood off an old mazda truck behind the quad) while the ladies cleaned the kitchen and packed for their trips back home. The gift of time and energy is always well worth the reward of the smiles and hugs and laughter of everyone, who want to do it again soon.
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