Barry Christmas!

This is my scroogiest holiday season ever. In the many retail Christmases I've worked since the tender age of 16, I have never actually given in to the urge to throw things at people until this year. Thankfully it was only a packet of tea and thankfully he didn't throw anything in retaliation.

But the Holiday Spirits took ahold of me the past two days. It was probably the crown of holly leaves and berries that I wore at work, but whatever; the last glass in the cabinet happened to be the Barry Christmas glass, and I knit this leetle red sweater ornament during the evening. I guess I am in the Holiday Mood. The sweater was supposed to be one of many to be knit as gifts, but this was the only one I could crank out (maybe I can sneak some in tomorrow night? I'll bring needles and yarn). So never mind my earlier "humbuggery" and have yourselves a Barry Christmas, everyone! (Mind you I am not a *Christmas* person myself, not being a big *Jesus* person in general, but I definitely understand the urge to have traditions, especially the food kind.)

This year I gave to Heifer International in the names of my giftees, in lieu of agonizing yet again over what to get for people who have every little thing they seem to want or need. The concept, instead of delighting my family, seems to have irked them. I think they perceive it as just so much bleeding-heart-liberal posturing, but I suppose if I had given to a specifically Christian charity then they might have been less suspicious. And I guess if they were giving in my name in return, then I would want it to be a non-religious organization receiving the funds, otherwise it would seem to me to be just so much hypocritical-wealthy-Baptist posturing. In any case, I bought some "New Beginning Baskets" that help pay for lambs for impoverished families the world over, so that they can use the wool to clothe themselves and earn some $$$, with the notion that they will then pass on some of the lamb's offspring to another family, to the same end. Heifer seems to be an okay sort of group, and I'm too lazy to do much digging around to make sure that they aren't really supporting the Taliban or something. Giving to Heifer was a lot more pleasant than going to the dumb mall and waiting in line to buy gift cards at Banana Republic. (Which apparently is not in itself a bad thing if a supposed "famous" person is apparently somewhere in the store, giving the folks in line something to talk about.) At Thanksgiving my mother informed me that although she supported my radical "charity-gift" gesture, she really wanted "something real" this year. Lucky for her I had already gotten her some gifties, but I can't make socks for everyone every year.

I am about to cast on for Blackly Waving Lace sock #2; the first one came out wonderfully and fits nicely. I am already trying to figure out what pair to make next. I think I must have a sock project going on at all times, although I realise it makes me forget all about the other projects going on. (Lack of Safety Culture? Have barely worked on it since Knitting@Figure8 Weekend.) There are so many nice sock patterns floating around, and I have so much socky stash... leave it to me to buy some new sock yarn anyway, "just because."

EDITED TO ADD: link to seamless sweater ornament pattern.