Merry Christmas!

I saw my last Christmas markets of the year in Nuremberg, Germany and for the first time saw how festive Sun Valley is with all it’s Christmas lights.  Overall, it has been a good Christmas season.

Christmas makes me think of gifts and gifts make me think of this:

Recently, I have grown a likeness for, let’s call it, “item matchmaking.”  I like to find things that already exist in my life, and give them to people that might like them.  

For instance, when I was cleaning out some things in Germany, I ran across a DVD of Happy Texas, the movie my uncle directed and co-wrote.  Knowing I wanted to bring a thank you gift to friends in Sun Valley, I grabbed it to give to them.  We had talked about the movie this past summer, so I thought they’d like to see it.

And when I was cleaning out my old room this past fall, I found a pink and white Hello Kitty scarf.  A few days later, I visited my brother’s family and found out my niece’s  bedroom is completely decorated in Hello Kitty stuff.  So--*spoiler alert, Diamond!*--I have left this scarf for her as a Christmas present.

But before I go patting myself on the back, I will admit that I don’t actually know if this is a good thing. Is it really nice to give someone something I found in my suitcase or my old bedroom?  Or is that mean? Or cheap?  Or both mean and cheap?

If the answer is yes to these last  questions, I would like to clarify that I do not participate in this item matchmaking out of meanness or cheapness.  Okay, maybe a little bit of frugality gets the better of me sometimes, but I do know that my motivation lies somewhere else.

This habit has manifested as a by-product of this gypsy lifestyle.  Because I have such limited space to store things, I don’t like accumulating a bunch of stuff.  Absolutely everything in my suitcase must have a purpose.  This is key.  

Therefore, there is nothing more maddening than running across something-- say a sweater, book, make-up brush--on a daily basis, knowing that you haven’t used it and most likely will not.  I feel I am just basically giving this object a free European vacation without it giving me anything back.

Unfair.

So, this is how I have picked up the habit of matching items to owners.  And, isn’t it a win-win if I can find someone who might use this sweater, book or make-up brush?

Makes sense to me.

But let me tell you about the things that can’t find a purpose or appropriate owner.

Some of us skaters have been lucky enough to inherit trunks.  These trunks travel in one of our several trucks that transports the show (the props, costumes, etc) from city to city.  This is our one source of storage outside of our suitcases.

And what seems to happen is that you stuff your trunk with things you might need, but obviously don’t use (or else it would be in your suitcase, right?)  So, when you come across one of those items that you aren’t using--that slightly itchy sweater, that kinda wordy book, or that odd-looking make-up brush--and there is no obvious home for it (like someone who would actually appreciate it) you put it in your trunk.  Just in case.

And then what happens to it?  

Well, at some point, you throw it away.  It is a bit of a  drawn out process.  Suitcase--trunk--then eventually trash.

Yep, our trunks are like traveling garbage cans.

But, like I said, that is for the items that don’t get matched.  The ones that do find loving owners with my help avoid this whole sad story!

Which leads me back to the part where I hesitated to pat myself on the back.  I think I will accept that pat now.  I think what I am doing isn’t so bad after all.  :)

Merry Christmas all.  And, you are welcome for those old and dusty gifts.