Merry Christmas to YOU! from Gillian & Sheila...

Well, with all the snow and icy rain, there was no class on Monday. I spent the day at home, with my little girl and my hot chocolate. Hey, some things work out exactly, as they are supposed to. Don't they? ;)

So-guess what we were up to?

If you have been over to Mum's blog, as time goes by..., you will already be fully aware of what we are up to here!

To all of you who comment, read or lurk here...Our Christmas gift to you folks this year is....a pair of goats and some dolls! Sounds interesting, doesn't it? What? Don't need goats you say? Well...a family in Rwanda may need them. You of course, recall the horrific tragedy that befell Rwanda in 1994.

So you see, a male and female goat will provide milk for a family, and a potential income source should the two goats get together (let's hope there's chemistry!) and provide the family with offspring too. This would be the start of a dairy operation. Not to mention a means of providing for their family. Not to mention a means for two ethnic groups to work together. I loved this idea Mum came up with. So Mum bought two goats, and I bought two goats.

I also bought two dolls for two orphaned Burmese refugee children. Mum bought nursing kits for African mothers in Niger. Seems like a fantastic idea, doesn't it? We thought so. So we did it! Enjoy!!!

This makes far more sense than sending out gifts to you, whom we love dearly, yet we know you don't really need our gifts. We hope you share in the fact that this means far more to those who will receive it than we can imagine. Given that we are very fortunate, we all own computers (less than one percent of the world's population do), we have medical care, food, shelter...it only made sense to make a difference to a family who really needed it.

If you choose to do something yourselves (the more the merrier they say!) then click on the Hunger Site button at the top of this post, and go the sidebar on the left that reads "Gifts that give more". This will list for you some excellent gift giving ideas that will reach across the ocean and help those who really need it. It will make a difference, and your gift will also provide 150 cups of food as well. How can you go wrong? I know lots of you out there are concerned with hunger issues in the world, so this gift made the most sense.

I am choosing to give locally too, as we do each year. We have a food drive at my daughter's school, as well as a tree where you can put unwrapped new toys and books for families in our city that need it. We plan to donate two bags of groceries and some toys too. For what it costs (about $50), it makes a huge difference in the lives of those receiving it. Heck, we can drop that at the magazine store in five minutes. This is money well spent.

I know it is selfish, but I would really love to see (fly on the wall style, I don't need to be thanked at all) first hand the difference our donations make. I sincerely hope it does. We sent the gifts with love from the Blogging Community of the World, so maybe that message will get there too. The 'with love' part is all that matters.

Now, I realize a lot of you have pledged to BUY HANDMADE, well there is a lovely store at the Hunger Site that sells handmade goods...you would be employing women who desprately need it. Some food for thought!

Enough of my rambling...enjoy the spirit that this gift was given...it's the REASON for the SEASON baby.

xo

Gillian....I love you guys...thanks for everything!

p.s. They are sending a certificate by mail for the goats...I'll post it when it arrives and you can print it out if you choose. xo