Posted in FLYING and HGP

Can you tell it is another homemade Christmas at our house? LOL Actually it seems like every year we are in the same boat - too many presents we have to buy for and not enough money.  I have a fleshly struggle every year because in practical terms I think dh's family of 6 siblings, all married with children and some of their children have children, making it a grand total of 42 people, should draw names but every year they say, "NO" and I feel guilty because in all honesty there is always some little thing I can think of to do.  My problem is that after I have done 42 little things I am usually burnt out on Christmas and it hasn't even started.  The other problem is that making 42 little things still costs money and then there is nothing left for my boys and dh.  

Now don't take me wrong.  My boys celebrate and get loads of gifts - 42 EACH to be exact (& that doesn't include the 8 relatives on my side of the family or the gifts that they give to each other) - BUT (there usually isn't any from us) and here is where my flesh just boils - they are just presents under the tree (& too many at that).  They aren't what my boys were wishing or hoping for and my boys aren't materialistic (my oldest actually is asking for needed clothes this year because he has outgrown just about everything).  In all honesty, those 42 gifts are usually Dollar Store junk or they are broken before New Year's and it just makes me cringe at the time and energy and efforts that are wasted.  I try so hard to not be ungrateful (I get 42 gifts too - usually waaay too big) but this cycle just seems ludicrous and nobody can seem to stop the madness.  Every year I say we need to do something about it and every year I'm scrounging for some new thing that I haven't made before that is inexpensive like these IMHO jars of homemade soup. LOL

I found most of the recipes for these here and I don't like giving things I haven't tried first so we also got to eat a few days worth of soup so that was fun for the boys.  I "wallpapered" (glued) wrapping paper on to a cardboard drink holder and used recycled jars for the soup mixes so that saved a bit of money.  It is all in the presentation (yeah - yeah that's what I keep telling myself LOL).  In all, I think it turned out "souper" and the soup tasted pretty good too.