Time to start making the Holiday cookies! This was last year... do you think I should get her an apron?
Well, now that the Holiday season is officially upon us (I refuse to acknowledge it before Thanksgiving is over!) it got me thinking of some things. I know alot of artsy folks love to reuse and recycle items for their artwork and I think that is wonderful! I'm an avid recycler (and my husband would call me a "hoarder") and I love to see things reused in artwork rather than thrown in the dump. Here's an example: TeaBot made by Inka's husband over at Altered Artifacts. Think of all those little metal pieces he saved from the landfill! I know many people who use old books for journals and/or actually alter books into pieces of art. Well, there's a million examples of reusing items. I recently made about six Stuffies out of a shirt my daughter no longer wears.
Which brings me to the subject of re-gifting. Ah, what a delicate subject. I want to know how many people have "regifted" something they got and passed it along to someone else (or gave it away or ebayed it!) I admit it, I did. A few years ago, at a family grab bag, I was lucky enough to get a chocolate fondue set. Of course I was desperately trying to lose weight at the time. My family probably doesn't know the struggles I go through with my sweets addiction and it was a nice gift (and I love you dear family! You know who you are!) But I couldn't keep it in my house. So I ebayed it and probably bought some art supplies or books with the money. Is there anything wrong with that? Once it's mine, I can do with it whatever I want, right? And no one wanted to trade with me...
Then, as I was going through some Christmas boxes yesterday I was reminded of a re-gifting story. I found a very pretty tin, about 3" in diameter and about 10" tall. (I'm thinking a little robot dude in the making?) It used to be filled with cookies. I got it from a supervisor/coworker last year when I left my job to pursue a better opportunity. My last day was a week before Christmas break. I was touched that she thought of me and cared enough to give me a gift. Well, a week later I broke open the tin and opened the packaging, only to be met with a strange odor... the cookies were completely RANCID. Hmm. I looked at the expiration date to find that the cookies had been expired for about a year. UGH. Obviously a case of regifting. It was probably a wedding gift she had in her pantry for a couple of years. I can tell myself that it was the thought that counts... but really? The tin is really pretty but every time I see it, I feel bad.
So let this be a lesson in regifting... ALWAYS check the expiration date on any food item you may give away! That includes the fruitcakes (do those have expirations??) And PLEASE at this time of year many food pantries are asking for donations... DO NOT clean out your pantry and donate expired cans of food! Only give away (to friends/coworkers/donations) food that you would like to get yourself :-) Now go forth and contribute to the economy :-)
Flour pockets!!! Great holiday look!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Lisa! Rancid cookies- YUK!! I'll admit to a few regifts and leave it all that. Happy Holidays!!
ReplyDeletePamo
Love your post and I am honored to be mentioned :) I don't think there is a thing wrong with regifting or selling a gift... it was given to you with no strings after all. However I have to wonder what a robot would have looked like made from that fondue set :))
ReplyDeleteMake sure her apron wraps all the way around!!! What fun to have a cookie making partner!
ReplyDeleteDon't think an apron will take care of her floury pants. My daughter throws a large t-shirt over the kids for messy stuff. It's a cute pic though.
ReplyDeleteRe-gifting is okay but oh my, what are some of them thinking when it comes to food? My dad was given a moldy Panettone my sister was given so obviously that one was twice re-gifted as she gave it to him within days of getting it!
Regifting is my favorite - and I don't make any secret of it either. This year I am adding a twist in that I am giving Thank You presents not Christmas presents - hey I'm not a Christian - what can I say...So I had a great book, read once that I am not going to read again. Off to Sister #3. Somehow I had 2 of one of my favorite art journaling books, sent one off to Sister #2. Scrubbed up a beautiful cookie tin and wrapped two of the three dozen cookies given me last week and mailed them off to my Mom, who is now in Assisted Living and can't bake - this way she also has something to give folk that stop by to visit. So everyone will get something nice and my office and studio will de-clutter a bit more. And I will not have to even think about malls...found you through Soul Journaling Lori
ReplyDeleteLove it! In reading your next post I see you are sharing your art with C. The Christmas cookies are how I share it with my kids. Now I hate to cook, love to eat and enjoy my family when I make their favorite but hate to cook, bake the whole thing. I think it is the mess. But when we do cut outs whoo! what a mess and so much fun! Our favorite is tie dye bells. When you pass the plate (with coffee of course since I am Norwegian) you have an LSD moment with splashes of color on wildly matched wreaths, crosses, doves, churches, angels and bunnies. (Well bunnies have nothing to do with Christmas but it has always been the biggest cookie cutter even when I was growing up so it always makes the cut!) We evenly stack like cookies to make sure all of the kids get the same amount, buckets of frosting glaze and go... It is amazing to see them go on their own. Faith is very artistic, lovely drawings and this year Christmas decorating with lights! Grace has the needlepoint bug and does really nice work on adult stuff at 9. Both girls sing so that is some art I have passed on, in addition to being hams and wanting the microphone to themselves when they sing at church.
ReplyDeleteAs for the re-gifting I am all over that. One of my friends longed for a farmer pig cookie jar at my wedding shower (not my taste at all) and 5 years later I added it to her wedding gift. She was THRILLED! A "cheap" (not) crystal bowl my sister was given made it to me through a White Elephant exchange at my moms and it is my centerpiece. Carrie
Oh man - honestly, I don't understand people sometimes. Why would you hold onto a tin of cookies for a year? It just doesn't make any sense to me...granted cookies don't last 3 days in my house - but, still....
ReplyDeleteYes, your little one needs an apron...Though, I have aprons and I much rather have it all over me at the end of the baking so I don't wear them! hehe.