Skipping Christmas, part 1

Christmas is coming,
The goose is getting fat.
But I'm a vegetarian
So that's enough of that!

Hands up who's looking forward to Christmas? It's a fact of 21st century Western life that Christmas can be stressful & expensive. I know many families who try to overcome this materialism & refocus on the reality of "God with us" in various ways. Here's a wee one (as recommended by my best friend) which I'm about to have a go at..........

Teachers presents:
With 2 children at primary school, we want to give something to their teachers at Christmas, but it's difficult to get something original - I guess some teachers get more chocolate & "smellies" than they can shake a stick at - & I know some other parents who feel the same way. So I'm writing to all the parents in my children's classes to see if anyone wants to join in with us & get alternative gifts. Oxfam's catalogue includes things like school books & desks as well as teacher training for schools in the developing world. I hope the teachers here will appreciate something from this list, as we appreciate the education our children have free access to.

I'm not sure if any other families will want to chip in to this, but I'll keep you posted!
If you want to have a go, see www.oxfamunwrapped.com