Christmas, Already?!?

For so many centuries, the exchange of gifts has held us together.  

It has made it possible to bridge the abyss where language struggles.

~ Barry Lopez

I know - it's waaaaay too early to start thinking about Christmas...

Unless, of course, you plan on making Christmas gifts for family and friends.  But who, you might be wondering, would be foolish enough to do this, year after year after year?  ;)

Yesterday I distributed this invitation to 11 friends at work:

   Dear XX,

I would like to invite you to participate in a Holiday Gift Exchange with me this year.

Now, before you start panicking and looking around for an exit, I know that these gift exchanges can be stressful and expensive, so I have set this up to be easy and very cheap.  

What I would like as my Christmas present from you:

An Excuse

More specifically - an excuse to by stuff and use that stuff to make other stuff.  

Now, to be up front about this, the deal I'm offering you is not completely fair.  You don't get to tell me what you want.  I'm going to tell you right now that your gift is going to be some of the stuff that I make form some of the stuff that you gave me an excuse to buy.  

The best I can do is let you pick the colors of the stuff that I use to make the stuff that I'm going to give you for your holiday gift.  

And one last thing to note - I need you to give me my gift early.  More specifically, if you are willing and interested in participating in this holiday gift exchange with me, then:

I need for you to come to the  big table in our lab (room #) on 

Monday, November 4th at 12:00, to select your colors.

Supplies of any particular color are limited, so there may be some negotiating and "horse trading" amongst the people who decide to participate in this holiday gift exchange with me.  ;)

So, that's it - the good, the bad and the ugly about my invitation.  Obviously, I hope you decide to participate!  But I completely understand if you decide not to participate and there will be no hard feelings.  

In any event, I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season!  :)

Gwen