I'm going to leave the gift guides to other people who do them so well. I like to read them, I do, but I think that you can visit other ace people like Lexi or Lucy and find out what is cute this year. I am not going to cover that here this December. I am going to write about other stuff. I hope that is okay. It's okay with me, at least! I will be reading along, with me....! That makes one of us, at the very least!
Seriously, though, I think it is easy to get a bit overwhelmed with the BUY. Personally, I like to stay calm and keep the gift shopping quick, low-key, vintage or handmade and local.
So, instead of a BUY THIS guide I am doing a TRY THIS guide. I wanted to think about something apart from the BUY, like some nice things to TRY! Trying can lead to all sorts of awesome things, happy times and new friends. And those things can last longer than Christmas.. they can last the year... or even a life time if you try the right things!
So let's go!
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- Try playing - or watching - your local Roller Derby Team. This is a super great sport and it's played by really awesome, energetic, smart girls and you will LOVE it. Even if you just spectate, there is a lot going on and it's a total fun-attack for the whole family. Google should tell you where your local roller gals hang out.
- Try playing the piano : or pick up a vintage keyboard from a second hand store and come over all 80s synth-like. Possibly you could shave your head on one side if you were really in to the whole rock star thing. Or maybe you could play the xylophone, because they are really cool and feature in a lot of cute folksy songs. You may like to wear a crocheted shawl or a feather in your hair if you are xylophoney.
- Try ceramics : wouldn't you like to make beautiful sculptural bowls... or some naive sixties inspired figures : do that! Or latte cups, those are fancy and chic and useful, maybe you could learn to make those too? I think it's really great to learn new things and to get messy. I think we take our plates for granted and we should all learn where they come from and why you can put some in the oven and not others.
- Try driving somewhere you have never been before : plan a long trip and take a friend or your family. Take photos along the way and put together your own little trip guide. Maybe go to the beach, or the bush, or a river far away. Make a mix cd or playlist to play in the car. Enjoy the journey and the things you see, not just the place you get to.
- Try catching a train a very long way : maybe to the other side of the country? Maybe just to a country town. Pack a picnic and pretend you are in The Darjeeling Limited or on The Orient Express. Perhaps without the murder and the sexy bits... unless you are the adventurous or criminal kind. It's also good to play cards on the train, I think, so take a deck of cards.
- Try learning to dance. Perhaps you are a very good booty-shaking, rubber-gloved kitchen dancer? Perhaps you do that thing where you bite your bottom lip with your top teeth and you shoulder shimmy at the same time? You are totes co-ordinated, yep. I am all for those things, but how about some fancier steps? How about a partner who does not shy away and pretend they are heading to the bathroom as they dance away from you? How about puffy skirted dancing or some Soul-Train pant-suit kind of dancing? Or some dancing that requires red lipstick and a rose in your teeth. I think you would have fun, I do.
- Try writing long letters to people you really like. If your handwriting looks like a spider has spasmed in the ink well, as mine often does, then practice makes perfect.... write more often. And write to people you like, because they can keep the letters and read over them when they are cross with you. And then they will like you again. It's true.
What do you want to try?
xx Pip
