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"Gifts From the Home and Heart Okay, this is the year when I finally make good on my promise to cut way, way back on holiday shopping. The push I needed came after I heard someone on the radio say: &amp;quot;the best gifts are never under the tree.&amp;quot;  That&amp;#039;s so very true, yet I found myself wondering once again why the urge to buy &amp;quot;stuff&amp;quot; is so strong. Even when we know much of it will get returned or go into some re-gifting pile? I really don&amp;#039;t get it, but enough philosophy for today.  Cutting back on &amp;quot;stuff&amp;quot; and giving something of oneself is the theme of the day. And judging from responses I&amp;#039;m getting to my suggestion for a different kind of holiday, it looks like my family is really into the idea. Here&amp;#039;s what I suggested: presents for kids only ... adults give each other something hand-made - baked, cooked, crafted or grown -- a gift of time or just a small, stocking-stuffer trinket. I&amp;#039;ve decided my main gift will be my ever-popular Good Housekeeping almond crescents everyone loves, which I&amp;#039;ll wrap in pretty boxes or tins. I might just even add a bottle of desert wine (no, I won&amp;#039;t try making that.) to go with them.  If this all works out... and if there are lots of yummy home-made food gifts ... maybe we can start still another new tradition of getting together after the holiday to share some of our gifts with each other. Sort of a post-holiday, pot-luck get-together. Don&amp;#039;t know how this will turn out for a family usually knee-deep in presents. I&amp;#039;ll let you know how it goes. But it&amp;#039;s looking like it could be a huge DEAL MAKER of a holiday! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a3082/gifts-from-the-home-and-heart/>