Things I like

The list of things I really, really enjoy is changing.  I'm not sure if its for the better or worse.  To be honest, I can't remember what I totally loved to do over anything else, but it probably involved

• eating lobster mornay; or 
• drinking and dancing all night at a nightclub (or 'disco' as they were called when I was able to dance all night);
• or riding my horse through the bush

Now its more likely to be:

• having dinner with friends; or
• being able to read a whole book undisturbed; or 
• cuddling up in bed on a winters night; or
• dancing all night at a party or pub with a great band (it just doesn't involve as much vigour nowadays - or shoes).

I do enjoy the idea of shopping for nice things, but the reality rarely lives up to the hype.  If I actually have the money available to spend I never find anything suitable or I end up talking myself out of buying it because it's not good value or it isn't made in Australia or it's too young for me or it could only be hand washed and ironed.  Some part of me still thinks I'm not entitled to these nice things (years of close-to-poverty living will do that to you).

On the other hand, I love to buy nice things for other people.  And I absolutely love a bargain!  So I should love Christmas shopping, right?  Well, in theory.  But then Mr Moneymaker gets involved with his pesky budget and spreadsheet and checklist and buying everything in one place if possible.  Where's the fun in that?

Online shopping gives me some pleasure with getting a bargain and it is much easier to search for a variety of unique gifts that are made locally (sometimes by bloggy friends) and sometimes even environmentally sound.  Here are some I've come across:

• Todae
• Ethical Gifts
• Tribes and Nations
• Ibu Trade

This brings me to another reason that shopping brings me pleasure. Sometimes it can benefit other people besides the manufacturer and the recipient of the gift.  I've posted before on buying gifts that mean more [World Vision Gift Catalogue], but I didn't talk about making sure we buy ethically.  This just means I would much rather buy a bowl which costs a little more because it was handmade with recycled materials than something that came off a Chinese processing line.

Other gifts I love love love to buy people are books. Not only are they wonderful for the person receiving them (there IS a book suitable for absolutely everyone), they are really easy to wrap!

Today I bought Tim Costello's book, "Hope".  I haven't decided whether to give it as a Christmas present to someone or just keep to read myself.  I know in the past it has been an unwritten privilege between my family that when we buy a book for one of us, we can read it ourselves first as long as we keep the book clean and undog-eared, don't bend the spine and definitely do not read it in the toilet!  If you would like to buy Tim's book yourselves, help keep the profits with World Vision and buy it here.

So tell me, how do like to do you Christmas shopping?  All in the one place or do you do a little here and there through the year?  Will you be buying ethically for some?