Hello all!
Happy holiday season!
I am very proud of my family this year because we, as a unit, have decided that the bloody mania that usually ensues on Christmas Eve at the Rae/Haag/Leland/Judd/Barry Household must come to an end. We have upped our Secret Santa budget 'in light of inflation' for far too long. It has gotten so crazy that last year people got insane gifts comparable to mortgage payments and one person didn't get anything at all due to a clerical error. (Yes, another person got TWO mortgage payments.)
So, this year, we are changing things radically. We are chopping the budget in half. Well, sort of. One half of the amount we're allotted to spend is being pooled together from everyone, and donated in the family name to the Open Pantry. And this donation will be made before Christmas, so that it can be used for Christmas. The rest of the budget will be used to do whatever we choose to do for the person who's name we selected. This can be another donation in their name, or something else.
I'm so proud of us! SO PROUD! I think this is great. We aren't a rich family, but we certainly have had enough between us all to go completely ape-shit on Christmas. No mas. GIVE to people who NEED.
So, that's all. I'm just really happy about this. It's a good thing.
Love, Martha
