I also subscribe to the "buy-it-when-you-need-it, Christmas-all-year-long" theory. While I hope and intend to live quite a few more years, I have become a bit more free in recent years about spending money for things Of course, I'm still pretty frugal because "waste not, want not" was pretty much my dad's financial philosophy, driven into me from the time I got my first savings account at the age of 8.
But, spending money to make someone else happier is a wonderful feeling, knowing that I have more than I need and they, for whatever reason, have less. My sister and I still exchange gifts, but she's the only person I buy presents for now.
Leave it to me to complain about mud! There's not going to be much of that in the foreseeable future. The winter weather advisory started last night, the sound of whipping winds and icy stuff hitting the bedroom window woke me up at 2:30 this morning, and if we're extremely lucky, it MIGHT get above freezing tomorrow. Then, there's cold, cold and more cold.
Doesn't look like my weekly trip to Bomgaars will be happening today. I have no desire to drive on icy roads.