We went to the office christmas party yesterday with our 2 white elephant gifts. (REcycled from prior years. I don't know like I feel like we have so many since I always take back the gifts I got last time). The rule is one per person (not per family). So we took our giant inflatable santa and our ugly tomato ceramic vase/pot (lord knows what it is). LOL.

We had to leave "Early" since the party was dragging on quite late and we had to get the kids to bed. My mom came to help but she can't keep up with them so well, and did not expect to be gone as long as we were. However, my co-worker came late due to other difficulties and had not had time to stop by home for his gifts.

I said he could have mine!!! He insisted he would bring me 2 gifts tomorrow. "No thanks", I said. LOL.

Anyway, he didn't listen and I had 2 gifts sitting on my desk this morning. But this was quite an upgrade. Some REALLY pretty snowflake ornaments. They are frames too so you can put pictures inside. Cute. Not necessarily needed (I have low tolerance for "Crap.") But very pretty. Might just put them on the tree.

I also got an Asian Dinner set. Just seemed appropriate. Not sure I will ever really use it. But it is pretty and I do like it. Now I just need to learn to make miso soup and sushi to serve with it.

So anyway, now that was quite an upgrade. IT's all probably about as useful. But at the least, I could regift. (Actually I Was just thinking my sister would LOVE the Asian set. Hmmmm.....)

Dh pulled out the tree yesterday and I cleaned up a bit. I have been on some horrendously lazy trajectory and the house has barely been cleaned in ages. I am not much for house cleaning, but this is below evebn my standards. So the weekend was pretty busy as is. YEsterday was filled with cleaning, tree decorating, and then the party.

Anyway, we had so much "junk" with all the Christmas stuff. I think I will just make 3 piles in the middle of the dining room. Trash. (Well that I could put out in the trash - LOL). Goodwill. Ebay. I think I will lean a lot more towards Goodwill and trash pile. Oh, and a freecycle pile. We just have to get through it. I have a few piles for ebay, but I care less and less with time. Will be just nice to get rid of some of this stuff. So if I leave the piles in the middle of the walkway maybe it will force me into action!

I figure tax season won't make life any easier, so will try to see what I can wade through this month. Feels like there is always something.

You don't even have to BUY the crap. You can beg people not to buy the crap for you... IT just piles up. Lord knows where it all comes from. Most of the stuff in the Christmas pile, we did not buy. In the least. ??? I haven't a clue where most of it came from. I think the Christmas pile is so bad because I do feel bad a lot of the time getting rid of gifts. Not always. But sometimes. & that is probably most of the problem. (& what I felt guilty to toss last year, I can't even remember where it came from now!!)

I need a better system to de-clutter.

I am usually pretty good at re-gifting and stuff, and donating things right after the holidays. But I think I always keep a few things for later. For regifting. For white elephant exchanges. I just need to get rid of it all and be confident there will be plenty more to come. I don't need to keep any of that stuff. It always seems to work out.

Anyway, for the most part I have some old really cheap christmas decorations from my poor college days. I think I was sentimentally attached. Then I forgot about them. We haven't been home the last 3 weekends so our trash can is filled to the brim. But once the trash goes out Friday I am going to start filling it up. I guess I can get it all ready to go. Trash!!! Lord knows why I have this stuff! LOL. No one else would want it. Believe me... Just worthless trash. I am also sure to have a hefty pile for freecycle. The crap Goodwill wouldn't take anyway. But of no one wants it, will just have to suck it up and trash it. That is also my problem. Just guilt when it comes to throwing things in the garbage. {That is why freecycle is my savior. I have given away so much stuff that would have had to gone to trash otherwise}.

We also have an old phone and rice cooker we weren't sure what to do with. Not really functional but didn't seem like landfill material. Well, Goodwill, in our area, is now taking appliances and stuff (for disposal/recycle). Score!