Bah humbug, part two

So here we are. The holiday is over, the stores are back open, some folks even have to be to work this morning.

Families emerge from the crumbs and the wrapping paper scraps ... to what this week? Relax and spend time together? Watch a few of those vids somebody got as gifts? Play with the new toys?

Nope.

Some people have to pack themselves into their cars for a long trip back to their homes, out on that dangerous motorway with the rest of the madding crowd, some of whom might still have a bit of christmas cheer upping their blood-alcohol level.

Many have the daunting job of retaking their homes: throwing away wrapping paper, washing dishes, laundering guest linens, storing the special holiday dishes, getting that wine stain out of the white rug in the foyer.

A lot of folks awoke this morning to find Mother gone. Had she just had all of her in-laws she could stand? Could she not bear to load the dishwasher one more time? No. She's shopping. Shopping because she hasn't quite spent five times as much as she planned on spending for christmas and there are sales. Sales! How thrifty, Blue! She can go out and buy loads of things she doesn't need or want but they'll be cheap! Really dirt cheap!
She's buying gifts for next christmas that she'll put in a closet and forget she has! She'll get bargain giftwrap and decorations that she'll decide is entirely unsuitable next year! Plus the dozens of items that she'll buy just because they're on sale.

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Today is Boxing Day. If you were as devoted an Anglophile as I am you'd recognize this, (one of my favourite), days.

The notion originated in Britain. It was customary to give gifts to family and friends on christmas and then charitable gifts to those less fortunate than yourself the day after. It became traditional in the Victorian era to give gifts to your servants on this day.

I suspect that the whole thing began as a thrifty hand-me-down sort of deal way back when in feudal villages. The local lord and lady made a huge meal for christmas, then the next day shared the leftovers of the food with the villagers . Later, in the 1800s, you got a new coat for christmas, the next day you give your maid your old one.

No matter how it got it's start, I love the idea. Everyone should celebrate Boxing Day.

I don't know about you, but my children just received an obscene amount of toys. Add these to the stuff that literally fills my house and it's enough to make you gag (or trip and crack your head open if you're not careful). So today, I'm gathering up roughly half of what they own: toys, clothes, etc and bagging it up to donate it to the thrift stores.

The babies all help with this (well, the Incredible Bulk just watches and drools helpfully), and they get to choose what stays. Mine and EGH's stuff is not immune. I go through my clothes, especially. If I haven't worn it in a year - I don't care how much I love it - it goes. I divide it up amongst two or three thrift stores (in Newberry and Columbia) and any big stuff or bags of like items I'll Freecycle.

Give it a try. Your house will be cleaner. Your kids will learn something important.

And you'll have more room for all that stuff you need to buy on sale this week!