[CleoCy]

We have been doing something similar, now, for about 10 years. We restrict the amount we spend on each other - just the 2 of us - to no more than euro50. the residue of what we would have spent is sent to charities we support. Also, we stopped buying and sending cards. Instead, for family and friends abroad, we buy items from charities - such as an Ambulance, one year, or making it specific to the recipient - measles inoculation, for a new baby, plant trees, for our farmer friends, and so on. We do like the idea of making presents, though. This would work very well, and gets back to the old ways of celebrating this mid-winter festival.

Glass jars can be painted with special paints, and used with night lights, as little Christmas lanterns. It is simple to cut open eggs - or blow them - and decorate them as baubles. Make your own, very luxury, chocolates - lots of recipes on the web. I had a friend who used to make shopping bags out of glossy magazines, but I have never been able to find instructions for this. Any ideas? They were woven, in some fashion.

We now grow our own trees - beech, oak and other natives - from seed. These make excellent presents for our local friends, and they contribute to greening the land! If you know anyone with a horse or horses, make compost - this is always a great present for gardeners!