I, one King of Orient am.

So, (this kinda carries on a post that will appear soon - when photos are uploaded - about pretty cheap jewellery).

I love Christmas and I always have.

This is despite pretty much not giving or receiving much of anything for the last few christmases. Its actually been really nice. I still get weirdly excited about this one festive day when we drink fruity cocktails in the morning and then get dressed in a summery frock, and usually heels for the first... 30 minutes or so (ever tried teetering down a sheep ramp, or any form of outdoor stair, that is likely to appear in a woolshed?) to eat a massive, amazing meal with all my favourite foods... (chicken or egg situation - are they favourites 'cos theyr'e christmas fare or special occasion food cos they're everyone's faves?).

So yeah -nowadays the fishbowls family tend to not really make a big deal out of buying pressies for everyone.

My closest friends and I go out for a drink or a meal, ideally somewhere we don't go every week, and split the bill as a gift to eachother. I love this - this year JL and I had a summery evening drink at a poncey corporate bar we never go to and then tea at Wagamama, and IL and I are planning a similar event where we go to Ancestral or Hummnigbird or the like and pretend we're very rich... but then go home after 2 wines (budget blown) and watch a xmas dvd (say The Santa Clause). Perfect!

Even Iceman and I have done one christmas (so now its a tradition) where we went away to Castle Point for a wee trip instead of buying stuff. I come out the other end with the perfect gift of some of the best memories of my life.

The next layer of friends aren't forgotton either - they will each get a custom made Christmas card with a pinup picture of IL and I in dresses and makeup in front of the tree (yip, lucky them!).

BUT.

The inevitable problem: realized that I really do love giving gifts - the choosing.. the budgeting.. the wrapping - my god the wrapping, i love it .. the hint-giving.. the excuse to trawl around town with a purpose more admirable than BUY MORE SHIT TO ADORN MYSELF.

I kept seeing things everywhere that I reeeally wanted to buy for others, even people I don't even know: you know, gifty gifts - but amazing stuff that you'd actually want to recieve yourself. And a lot of the time the stuff i saw was from craft fairs and locally made stuff... the good stuff. The stuff thats permitted if you wanna keep your liberal cred.

So here is a sample from under my fantasy christmas tree, all sourced from Just Good Stuff, the gift store at Thistle Hall that pops up every year round this time. The only energy these invisible gifts require is the power keeping this monitor going, and the poached freerange eggs that are fuelling my wistful yearnings this morn! Not a carbon mile or a slave wage in sight.

Some ideas so far:

For my beautiful curly-topped niece who I know only through digital media, I would get one of the handdrawn colour and count books. Is she old enough? MEh, who cares I'll colour it in. And a beautiful screen printed, fabric book about ducks that she can't rip up... tried to find the website to link for DC but didn't memorise properly from the tag while i was browsing..

For my painfully hip and neo-boho friends, necklaces and rings made from crystals and leather clutches engraved with owls and tigers. And tie-dyed silk scrunchies.

For my houseproud mother, the beautiful screenprinted cushion covers.

This really is depressing, just typing this I'm developing a huge thirst to buy gifts. Might bake instead...