Doesn't it seem like everytime you cross a name off the list that 2 more are added on? I don't spend extravagant for Xmas and it's always paid by cash (no credit card bill in January... Ya!). DH and I spend about $100 on each other. One year I have my sister&husband and the next year brother&wife (2 x $40). We celebrate at my sister's house and usually get something small for her in-laws (their great people) and brother-in-law (2 x $15). Nieces and nephews (6 x $35). My best friend and husband (2 x $50). Two other friends ($40 & $20) who I started guilt gifting after they gifted me (love the thought but hope to covert them to just gifting an ornament cause we all could stand to limit our spending). Neighbors who always invite us to a great Xmas party each year (deservable $15 plus homemade bread). Couple that is friends with hubby ($20 ... another one that the time has come to stop or convert to just small token). Father passed away this year and not sure what or if to get something for step-mom (we're not really close and if she did get us something it will probably be something she got at a dollar store - not due to lack of money just likes to spend the money on her own kids). You can see that I am lacking enthusiam for a few on my list. I really believe in spending only what I can afford. I really do love finding the perfect present for someone and put lots of time and thought into picking a gift. OTOH ... DH only has to buy for me and his grown daughter. He gets it all done in less than 3 hours! He actually does a pretty good job. Would like for him (just once) though to really put some thought into picking an amazingly special gift (you know not just a great robe but like a Magi gift). Still I count my blessing Xmas morning for having him and our puppies to share my life with.

I feel really bad, because last year I was given a link to a whole Web site on making liqueur, (maybe even by Readinglady, or someone from the Harvest forum), and I either filed it somewhere I can't find, or didn't bookmark it. Anyway, maybe you can find it by Googling. Meanwhile, here's the recipes I am using. They come out of one of my FAVORITE books, sadly no longer in print. It is called "The Herbal Pantry" by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead, Clarkson Potter Publisher, New York 1992. It is a visual as well as culinary treat. It is LOADED with ideas for using herbs to make thing that would be great gifts, like herbal vinegars and mixes, and special cordials, jams, chutnies, etc. Apricot Thyme Liqueur 1 lb. dried apricots (I spent extra for unsulphered, organic for obvious reasons) 4 cups vodka (I used a 750 ml. bottle) 1/2 cup brandy (I used another 750 ml. bottle because that's what was needed to cover the apricots) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup fresh lemon thyme (I used double that, but it may be a mistake. It was so late in the season and had been so cold when I harvested the thyme, it doesn't seem to have all that much taste left. Time will tell.) Combine fruit and booze and herbs in a large jar (I used a quart canning jar) with a tight fitting cover. Place in a cool dark place to steep for one month. I have it in the back of the fridge and it's going to be there for two months. Occasionally moosh the fruit around in the liquid using a wooden spoon or potato masher. When adequately steeped, strain the liquid from the fruit as much as possible. Boil the sugar and water together and add to the fruit mixture. Add sugar syrup slowly to taste, stop when it is sweet enough for you. Bottle and age for an additional 3 weeks. This weekend I hope to put up a jar of pear ginger and raspberry mint. The raspberry mint calls for 4 half pints of raspberries, which I have about half frozen right now so I'll add some more store bought frozen ones, and 3/4 cup tightly packed mint leaves, which I am no way going to use because I don't like mint all that much. I'll probably use 1/4 cup. Can also add 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa. Pear ginger calls for 8 very ripe pears (4 cups) and a 2 inch piec of ginger. Also calls for increasing the sugar to 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar. Which seems like a lot to me, but she says OK to add to taste. Using the pear recipe above, apple cinnamon brandy would be easy enough to figure out.

Here's a good one that I've made from the healthy GI diet cookbook: Cranberry-Almond Biscotti ************************* Makes about 20. Ingredients: Juice and zest of 1 orange - (my orange yielded 1/2 cup of juice) 1 TBSP Amaretto liqueur - ( I used 1 teasp almond extract) 1/2 cup (1 x 75 gram pack) dried cranberries 1 3/4 cups (250 grams) (9oz) wholewheat flour 1/2 cup (8 TBSP) sugar substitute (I use granulated fructose) 1 teasp cinnamon 1/2 teasp baking powder 1/2 teasp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1/4 teasp ground nutmeg 1 large egg 1 egg white 1/3 cup (50 grams) (2 oz) toasted almonds, chopped 1. Heat the orange juice, Amaretto and cranberries in a small saucepan just until hot. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the juice. 2. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) (Gas 4) and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. 3. Mix together in a large bowl the flour, sugar substitute, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg. 4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg white, orange zest and 2 TBSP of the reserved juice. Stir this into the dry mixture until combined, adding more juice if necessary to make the dough moist. Stir in the almonds and cranberries. 5. With lightly floured hands, shape into a 16 inch (40 cm) log, then flatten slightly. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm. Slide log onto a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes while you reduce the oven to 320F (160C). 6. Cut the log diagonally into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick slices. Place on the baking sheet, leaving a 1 inch (2 - 3 cm) space between each slice. (I didn't have room to do that...mine were touching.) Bake until golden brown and crunchy, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool on the rack. The Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week or wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months. Source: Rick Gallop's GI Diet Greenlight Cookbook *************************************** SharonCb

OMG, that's so silly, but it's not funny. My older sister would do that. She would watch what everyone else got and compare it in her head. Later, she would call me and say, can you believe he only spent $xx on me and $xx on so and so. I didn't care about that. It didn't matter to me if I liked what I got, and I always did. I also NEVER gave anyone a list. I don't even remember writing letters to Santa. I think the only year I was disappointed was when my parent's were having financial problems and I got pencils & erasers in my stocking. No candy. I was about 9. With my kids, I used to spend equal amounts on them but stopped that several years ago. It was silly. I get them things they are into and some are more expensive than others. It's not a contest and like I said, I've tried to put more emphasis on giving than receiving.