A Giving Heart

Christmas is coming and the goose, who has been tasting all the baked goods, is getting fat. So here's a little guide to holiday giving 2013 ... for the rest of us. Here's a nightmare scenario. The USPS advises many packaged gifts are arriving infested with bedbugs. If you're sending stuff all over the country, like the fruitcake you're re-gifting, maybe, rethink. It's getting a little late anyway. A package or envelope with a lovely, VISA gift card is hypoallergenic and a welcome sight. Frankly I don't find it rude to express a preference for a gift card, nor do I get ruffled feathers, if someone requests one. There are many ways to personalize what you may feel is an "impersonal" choice. Anyway, it isn't about you.

Christmas... is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that one carries in one's heart. 

For those concerned with the etiquette of giving and receiving gifts, here is a favorite set of tips: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/relationships/etiquette-manners/gift-giving-etiquette 

Here is another, more comprehensive, set of suggestions that also address gracious receiving. This is the time of year, remember, when it is often more blessed to receive (gracefully) than to give. A warm smile and a brief thank you note always suffices. Try to keep your grateful game face on, while unwrapping the world's oddest necklace, made from old buttons, the pomander ball for your closet, the millionth muffler in colors that do not occur in nature. Lighten up, the Arc donation site is just down the street.
http://www.designsponge.com/2013/12/modern-etiquette-gift-the-right-gift.html

Keep in mind, a gift is from the heart. A gift is a gift, not a requirement. An act of kindness can do a world of good. This promises to be a difficult year for many of us, but money need not be an issue. One year I gave certificates to people for services I'd gladly perform, ranging from an evening of caregiving, to high tea made and served by me. How about offering a child an afternoon of crafting or cooking. Many libraries and museums offer discounted or free admissions, perfect for outings with kids in the new year. A certificate can be plain or very fancy, as can the packaging, so turn the creative juice loose!

If you have a sweet tooth and/or you'd like to give someone a sweet treat, here is a recipe for sugar plums. They are delicious and ridiculously easy to make. These keep in the refrigerator for a month. For speed demons, chopping can be done, using a food processor. (Be careful to pulse lightly, scrape, and repeat, chop, but don't overdo it.)
Use:

3 oz (1/2 cup) dried apricots, coarsely chopped
3 oz (1/2 cup) toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
1 oz (1/4 cup) dried cherries
1 oz (1/4 cup) prunes or dates, finely chopped
1 oz (1/4 cup) toasted almonds, finely chopped
2 tbsp cherry preserves
1/2 tsp cinnamon or other sweet spice
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Combine finely chopped fruits and nuts together, mixing thoroughly. Add cinnamon and cloves to the jam and mix into the fruit and nut combination by hand; kids love to get their hands into the jam, fruit and nuts. The mixture will form walnut-sized balls, once it is thoroughly mixed. Roll in granulated sugar, and place in paper candy cups, or store layered with waxed paper; cover tightly. It is fine to reduce the jam and add a tablespoon of good brandy or cognac. Vary the spices, if you like (allspice, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg ... all work.)

Sweet dreams and visions of sugar plums to all!