Getting Ready for Thanksgiving AND Christmas -- In Several Frugal Ways

Yes, I know Thanksgiving is four days away. But it seems almost unreal...like that big holiday with the C-word that's coming down the pike in about a month.

That doesn't keep me from doing it as frugally as I can:

*Double-check the paper goods -- I'll haul out what I bought at the end of last season for 50-90% off.  (Tuesday Morning is FANTASTIC for finding deals like this. They have higher-quality matching paper plates, too. Even their everyday pricing is good. Make a note to stop in on Friday to get Pilgrim/Thanksgiving stuff for next year.)

*Check the grocery ads.  One blogger advocated waiting to buy until the last minute for Thanksgiving -- she argued that was when food prices suddenly dropped, especially for turkey. By golly, she was right this year! Both Safeway and King Soopers not only have turkey on sale, but potatoes and frozen pies have magically dropped in price. Some baking goods, too: butter, eggs and cream cheese. Even ice cream and soda are cheaper. Go figure.

*NOW check available coupons. Several match up with the extra-low grocery prices. (Go here for a start.) Are they out? Get a raincheck.

*Think about NOT buying any holiday decorations. I know -- it's tempting to splurge on lights and those leeetle tiny houses that will make your mantel look sooo cute. Can you go without for just one year, and use what you've already got, instead? Then if you're still in love, pick up those items after the holidays -- but for much less.

*What's outside that you can use, instead?  Thanksgiving is perfect for a centerpiece of pine cones and fir branches -- especially when you add tiny pumpkins, some pomegranates, a head of flowering kale, or those mandarin oranges on sale. (About $1 a pound at my stores.) Include some fall leaves sprinkled in for an autumn touch. Go here for more. Yes, this works for Christmas, too.

*Wrapping paper and ribbon are cheap, colorful and a great source for decorating.  Cheap, that is, if you get them at the dollar store, with coupons, or on sale. (Which they are right now.) Tiny boxes, wrapped and interspersed with fir branches and tiny lights, will really glow by your front window. (Or wrap real presents, and save yourself the extra trouble.) Wrap the framed pictures and paintings you already have hanging. Tie a series of bows on a plain straw, grapevine or greens wreath.
     Or try this:

Another idea source: any of the '1000-plus' tutorials on Pinterest. Mesh ribbon wreaths are especially stylin' right now.

*Christmas cards? Maybe yes, maybe no.  Don't send any cards at all. (Gasp!) Or send only to out-of-towners, consider sending e-cards, instead -- or use postcards.
The Frugalwoods are advocating sending 'business' Christmas postcards -- and they've got proof it's not only cheaper, but really cute.
     Sadly, our expenses for these are decreasing. I send cards primarily to uncles and aunts -- and we've lost quite a few older relatives in the past few years.


Part II's up!  Go here for more.

I Must Be Hungry...

 

This one started it...

And finally...

It's been a strange weekend. Neither of us feels in tiptop shape, so far. I did some work, then we watched a whole season of TURN and cracked pecans. (The Brick wants his "pa-eye" for Thanksgiving -- it's gotta come from somewhere!)  Back to the regularly scheduled program soon...

Stop Motion At Its Best...Or Worst?

I don't know whether to be creeped out by this...or thrilled.

See what you think.

Love Knows No Boundaries

Read more about it at 9Gag.com.

Snow

Gray clouds pushed over the horizon when we woke up this morning. Chilly air, too. I cut up the last pumpkin for the chickens before it froze. (The chickies were unaffected, pecking and shoving each other around, but headed straight for the coop when the wind picked up.)
    Charley the dog loved the brisk air, jumping and leaping. He took time out to yell at the 'evil' doves who persist in hanging around on the telephone wire. (Shame on them. This is his yard!)

I shivered back into the house, Abby the dog close on my heels. Time for an extra pair of socks, and checking the forecast.

One flake, then another. Eventually, it turned into:




Our first big snow of the season.  'Big' is relative -- the mountains have been having snowfall for months now. Finally we flatlanders can experience it, too.

Guess I'd better go make some soup. (Maybe this, instead.) Or a snowball sundae.
    What the hey -- maybe this, too. After all, it's starting to accumulate.

The New 2017 Color Of The Year Is...

Purple. Deep, dark purple, otherwise known as SHADOW  (#2117-30)

This one's a big contrast from Benjamin Moore's 2016 choice. That was SIMPLY WHITE!

But wait...it changes, depending on the light.

Makes it much more interesting, not to mention versatile.
(Yes, it's the same paint in both photos.)

Apartment Therapy's got some suggestions how to use this deep, dark color... but I'd say you really need light to pull it off successfully, like the strong uplighting used in the staircase photo. Plus windows. Lots of windows. Otherwise, it's going to feel like a cave in your home of choice.

Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne...And Bernie Webber

     The Brick and I have been watching our share of movies lately. 

Three that stood out were Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, starring Tom Cruise as Jack:

Jason Bourne, with the original Bourne, Matt Damon:

and The Finest Hours, with Chris Pine as Bernie Webber.

All three are action flicks: lots of tension, and seemingly insurmountable odds faced by the heroes. Bourne and Reacher have some great fights. (Well, Bourne does more than Jack.) And if you liked the previous Reacher and Bourne movies, you'll find these interesting, too.


But the clear winner?   To our surprise:

The Finest Hours! 

     This one focuses on a stormy February in 1952 in Chatham, MA -- and a Coast Guardsman, Bernie Webber, who takes three crewmen out on a seemingly impossible rescue. The Pendleton, a tanker, has broken in half in the storm. Both the bow and stern sections ground, but the 8 crewman on board the bow are dead. The stern section, on the other hand, has 33 guys hoping against hope that someone is out there looking for them.
     Not only did Webber and his crew manage to find them, in spite of being storm-tossed themselves and losing their compass -- they rescued 32 men. (The last, the ship's cook, was accidentally run over by the lifeboat while tossed by a wave.) They managed to get them safely home somehow, packed onto the small lifeboat.
     Amazing. 

Webber, the pilot, and his crew are said to have pulled off the greatest small boat rescue in the history of the Coast Guard.

Bernie Webber, when he wasn't in the movies (Wikipedia)

     Chris Pine does a great turn as Bernie Webber, but it's not just him -- this Disney movie is packed with true-to-life character actors that really point out the danger of the rescue, and the risks the crew took. As Pine-as-Webber points out, the Coast Guard's job is to head out for rescues -- not necessarily come back.

We honestly had not heard about this 2016 movie, but it puts both Reacher and Bourne way back in the rear view movie mirror. Neither are too bad -- but Tom Cruise seems a bit tired. (Though he still fights great.)  And Matt Damon does a yeoman's job at making an exhausted and confused Jason Bourne still interesting.

But really -- don't bother.  Rent The Finest Hours, instead. If you want to learn more, here's a documentary on the rescue:

All I can say is:  You The Man (or Woman), Coast Guard!




Honesty note:  The Brick and I got free tickets to Jack Reacher via Gofobo.  If you haven't heard of this company, you should try it -- they hope for reviews, but really don't require anything of you, other than showing up. Available tickets go quickly; if you get an e-mail notice, reply to it as soon as possible.