Sunday, November 30, 2025

The Long Cold Weekend

 


Black Friday was the day to get out and get what you needed for the weekend, because a snowstorm was coming. It started in the early evening with snow. We were certain it would be just a dusting since the past few years we haven't gotten snow in the heartland until January. Granted, there were a lot of bone-chilling weeks of cold, but no snow. 

When I first moved here, there was a snow in early November or late October. Then the months got warmer about a decade or so ago. But fall came late this year. And thankfully, we'd had some rain from time to time. But this weekend we got about 6 inches or so of snow, and then the sub-zero temps hit last night.

I'm glad I got in a little Christmas shopping when I did. Of course, I hope to get out when there is a thaw to find a few more things. Yes, a good time to hybernate, but I have to go back to work tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Thriftmas




 Thriftmas is a thing on socials where people participate in sustainable Christmas. Thrift and handmade gifts and decorations.

... Here are ideas to do this: 1- Use recyclable wrapping paper- Non-glittery or shiny paper so it can be recycled. Or brown paper decorated by ribbons and drawings. 2- Thrift gifts- Buy second-hand items online or in thrift shops and charity shops. Anything from toys, home decor to clothing. 3- Homemade gifts- Make things yourself to gift. Anything from knitted items, jams to scrapbooks etc... many ideas on Pinterest and YouTube. 4- sustainable decor- Either reuse old decor or get sustainable ones. This means wooden or fabric decor. No plastic cheap ones are probably mass-produced in China. 5- shop local- Shop local and small businesses. Huge businesses aren't sustainable as you think they are. 6-reuse old Christmas clothes- Don't buy Christmas clothes just for one day or week. Either get or make sustainable festive items you can use multiple Christmas or buy red/green items you can re wear throughout the year. 7- no food waste- Eat up all the festive food. Buy enough local produce to feed your guests. But not so excessive that you don't eat it all. 8- less gifts- Buy few gifts not huge piles of gifts. Less is more. Its more sustainable to get a few items than excessive presents. No need to do Christmas eve boxes either. ... by Stephanie