~ gazing at the stars with the knowledge

that you know their Creator.

~ closing your eyes in sleep without fear

of tomorrow.

Love came down at Christmas,

Love all lovely, Love divine;

Love was born at Christmas;

Star and angels gave the sign.

-Christina Rossetti

When I am Gone

Death is nothing at all -

I have only slipped away into the next room.

I am I, and you are you.

Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name,

speak to me in the easy way which you always used.

Put no difference in your tone,

wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,

let it be spoken without effect,

without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same that it ever was;

there is unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you, for an interval,

somewhere very near, just round the corner.

And all is well.

Henry Scott Holland ~ 1847-1918

Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral ~ London. UK

If your family and friends are fans of opening a lovely gift on Christmas morning rather than a card that says someone else is receiving a goat on their behalf, don’t fret. You can still support others by purchasing fair trade products or environmentally friendly gifts. Here are some ideas to start you off. The web has plenty of other ideas so you can spend an evening or two ‘Christmas shopping’ in your own home.

• Tree seedlings, tomato or strawberry plants or herb seeds
• Organic Wine Thistle Hill Wines
• A bike
• Hughie sink
• Book 1001 ways you can help the planet Buy it here
• French Market Basket There's a gorgeous one here
• FairTrade Gift Hamper Look at a selection on this website 

 

And for those tree decorations and gifts try Oxfam’s sweet little ornaments handcrafted and fair traded from overseas. Gifts on the tree? I am giving bamboo toothbrushes!

 

Today lets look at:

Gifts that give something to a needy person or village

• From Oxfam you can give your friends and family a duck, bicycle ambulance, mozzie net or even a pile of poo!

• From WaterAid you can buy tools, taps and plumbing and other watery gifts

• How about a Black Rhino? From WWF you can buy your friend adoption papers for a Bengal Tiger or a range of other beautiful animals

 

• If you prefer to keep your gift local then Wesley Gifts offer the chance to buy school supplies, books and uniforms to local needy children. In fact Wesley Gifts offer multiple ways to give throughout the year to those in need. What better way to teach children to share their wealth than to give a Birthday Party, A trip to the Movies, A safe bed for the night or a festive lunch. You can choose any of these gifts at Wesley Giftshare

These are just 4 ideas – there are dozens more online – there is bound to be at least one idea that appeals to you and will give a gift that is Simply Beautiful.

I love giving and receiving hand-made cards and gifts although I have always been worried that the receivers would feel cheated in some way……..cheated of the glitz and bling of cheap Chinese imports……what am I thinking!

If you are a regular handmade gift giver then you have probably been working away all year to be ready for Christmas. Whether you are a knitter, sewer, gardener, artist, woodworker or cook, there are plenty of ideas to inspire you, online and in magazines.

• Knitting and Crochet – Scarf, slippers, afghan, knee rug, beanie, gloves, bag, dishcloths

• Sewing – Clothes, environmental shopping bag, purses, quilt, cushions

• Gardener – Home grown flowers or vegetables, heirloom seeds, potted cuttings

• Artist – Framed art, personal scrapbook or photograph album, painted upcycled furniture, Christmas ornaments

• Woodworker – Wooden spoons or bowl, toys, shelves

• Cook – Bakes, Voucher for home-cooked dinner, jams and preserves, liqueurs and cordials, Christmas cake or pudding, sweets

What if you are artistically challenged but would like to offer hand-made gifts?

• Vouchers for services are great and easily made on the computer – offer baby-sitting, weeding, cleaning, walking the dog.

• Put together a themed basket using a mix of bought and recycled items

• A special item that you own that your friend has admired and would use

• Purchase or commission hand-made items. This is a great community minded compromise as it gives others the opportunity to use their skills to earn pocket money.

Tomorrow we will look at Environmentally Responsible gifts......