In the air, there's a feeling of Christmas...

Sorry, I'm still alive. Between buying a home (moving mid-December to a condo yay!), work, the holidays, and some transitions with my startup, it's been slightly hectic. But I'm back to talk about one of my favorite things- Christmas! <3 <3 While I'm not religious, I really enjoy the warm and fuzzy feelings surrounding the holiday season. I also love finding the perfect gift for family and friends. This year is somewhat of a challenge, with "The Budget" (cue doom music) still needing attention. (If you want to feel broke, buy a home around the holidays. Oops.) Thus, here are a few strategies I'm using to simplify the holidays this year:

1. Give sentimental gifts to family. We can't wow our families with big ticket items this year. Instead, we'll be incorporating our wedding photos into gifts using Shutterfly. It won't cost much, and it will be a nice memento. 

2. Streamline wrapping. Perusing the gift wrapping aisles at Target, I have internal conflict. While the fancy papers and trimmings are pretty, they create a lot of unnecessary waste. This year, I'm planning to wrap with only brown kraft paper and recycled bags and boxes. Not only is this eco-friendlier, it's less expensive too.

3. Give things they'll actually use. No matter how great of a deal, it's not really valuable if the recipient won't use it. Put yourself in their shoes and focus on items you know they can use, like food, drinks, clothing, and entertainment.

4. Spend less. Really. When I add up how much I historically spent on holiday gifts, it's a small fortune. When you think about it, time and money are opposite forces in most people's lives; you're usually only rich in one of them. Putting in a little more time and effort on the front end to make a custom or crafty present can yield the same surprise and delight as a big ticket item. Well, hopefully. I'll report back in a few weeks. ;)

5. Simplify gifts for friends. Get them all the same thing in a different color or flavor. This lets you cater to each person's taste without sending you on a shopping spree all about town. Tip: When in doubt, homemade cookies never fail. 

Enjoy the lovely sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season! What's your strategy for the holidays this year? Anything you're doing a little differently?

My Political Rant

Let me start by saying that I'm thrilled with the results of last night's election. President Obama is a true leader who supports many things I feel passionately about:

• Keeping and creating American jobs
• Women's reproductive rights
• Marriage equality
• Affordable healthcare
• Reasonable taxes based on one's ability to pay
• The importance of education
• The health of our planet

He's a hardworking, conscientious person doing his best at a very challenging job. Progress takes time-- usually more than four years-- and change can be daunting, but our country needs change.

That said, I do my best to respect others' political beliefs. While I may not agree with their views, I remind myself that they feel as passionately about their opinions as I do. I'm open to listening to their thoughts as long as they do two things:

1. Back up their position with specifics
2. Have a mind of their own! It seems so many people just regurgitate what their family and peers believe, afraid to go against the grain. This approach doesn't receive my respect, because life is too short to take everything at face value. If my education taught me anything, it's the importance of critical thinking. (Shameless plug: Woo Nerinx!)

And while I'm disappointed in some of the immature posts on social media today, I also don't agree that the solution is to keep to ourselves. Politics are important; they represent our ideals. As many have reminded us during the past few days, much of the world doesn't have the luxury of free speech and democracy. So let's exercise our freedom and participate in mature political conversations. Being engaged in these issues is the only thing that will move us forward.

But let's not behave like children on either side of the fence. Otherwise you get time out.