Alexb2000
En-Route
Well the day has come and gone again. I am grateful for everything I have and honestly feel I have too much a lot of times. As I look at all of the Christmas gifts still sitting around the tree, on the counters, or stacked on any flat surface, I wonder why a lot of them are here.
For example, anyone who knows us knows that we NEVER eat jam, I mean NEVER. This year we received 20 jars of various jams, some individually, some in baskets, and some in seasonal assortments. We appreciate the sentiment, so we'll add them to our collection of 40-50 others from years past. Every year during the spring cleaning, we cull out the oldest ones. Why do we keep them around? Well, the plan is when we have company over we offer them a WIDE assortment of jams. Unfortunately, they don't eat much jam either.
There are many other items like this that we receive without fail every year from those that say we're hard to buy for???? How about a $20 bottle of Cabernet? Or a bottle of decent liquor, pick any one? Or a donation to our pet charity? How about a nice hand written Christmas note in lieu of a gift? Or....a gift certificate for a few gallons of Avgas? That one will be used and get a nice thank you card for sure!
In total we end up feeling guilty for getting all the this stuff with a fairly large combined value that we will inevitably throw in the garbage. it all just seems like a senseless process.
Anyway, I'm sure many of you can relate and if any of you are jam aficionados let me know.
For example, anyone who knows us knows that we NEVER eat jam, I mean NEVER. This year we received 20 jars of various jams, some individually, some in baskets, and some in seasonal assortments. We appreciate the sentiment, so we'll add them to our collection of 40-50 others from years past. Every year during the spring cleaning, we cull out the oldest ones. Why do we keep them around? Well, the plan is when we have company over we offer them a WIDE assortment of jams. Unfortunately, they don't eat much jam either.
There are many other items like this that we receive without fail every year from those that say we're hard to buy for???? How about a $20 bottle of Cabernet? Or a bottle of decent liquor, pick any one? Or a donation to our pet charity? How about a nice hand written Christmas note in lieu of a gift? Or....a gift certificate for a few gallons of Avgas? That one will be used and get a nice thank you card for sure!
In total we end up feeling guilty for getting all the this stuff with a fairly large combined value that we will inevitably throw in the garbage. it all just seems like a senseless process.
Anyway, I'm sure many of you can relate and if any of you are jam aficionados let me know.
The ultimate realization of the original intent!
I can think of MANY less desireable things that could get sent to you in place of that jam. But, I happen to like jam on English muffins and toast. We have blackberry bushes in our yard and the husband makes jam every year. 
