If you don't normally read my blog or do not know my on facebook, you may not know how I have struggled with Christmas
during the last decade or so.
Not this year.
I don't know what has come over me lately, but I'm calling it The Christmas Elf Fairy phase of my life.
This year I am not going to have to buy many presents.
The last two weekends I have been possessed by the Christmas Elf Fairy and that lady really like to get stuff done.
Behold, the Vodka Cherries. 10 pints of Vodka Cherries, to be exact, which, after having set for the next four months, will be beautifully preserved and highly alcoholic, served in their own sweet syrup. The City Boy says it will taste more like the cherries than vodka. I personally hope this turns out to be the case.
We can't disturb them 'till Christmas!!
This is hands down the easiest gift I have ever made, and one of the cheapest, due to being able to buy the cheapest vodka I could find. The alcohol aisle is a vast and varied wonderland these days. It is enough to wear me out. Thank God I don't have to make such hard decisions every day. I almost got lost in there.
Also, I have scrubs ready to be gifts! 3 pints of Epsom Salts, Vanilla and Cinnamon, 3 pints of Lemon-Orange Salt Scrub, and 3 pints of Brown Sugar, Almond and Raspberry.
I had SO MUCH fun doing these! I used coconut oil for the first batch, ran out and so used Grapeseed oil for the the others.
They all smell very wonderful, as does my kitchen right now, and we are definitely going to do some more of these together.
So easy even a child could do it!
I used the trick of freezing lemons and grating up the whole things and it worked very well. I also used some fresh lemon juice and orange juice and zest. The zest added pretty colors and it made such a good "wake-up" smell.
Now I am down to button art and from there I should be just about done except for special things the kids may ask for.
I am actually looking forward to Christmas this year.
I have run the entire gauntlet (or stages of grief?) from wanting to not even have Christmas, to just putting up a small little tree one year, to dragging EVERYTHING out (again, for old times sake) and being able to enjoy it again.
Welcome back, Christmas.
God Bless Us, Everyone.
