Christmas Countdown: 100 Days Until Christmas

It's the time of year when I usually pull out my pre-Christmas books, Unplug the Christmas Machine and The Christmas Survival Book (also Celebrate the Wonder), to see what I can do this year to keep the holidays happy and sane. I'm sure it's going to be an odd Christmas this year, what with remaining COVID-19 restrictions. I can't see Black Friday happening, for instance—just too many people in one place at one time. And many people have been out of work, some for only a few months, right now for some people this is ongoing. So this has been seen online and it sounds like a nice gesture.

Some people have pointed out that December 24 seems too late to donate to a food pantry; that food for the holidays may have already been distributed. Why not start your collection on Thanksgiving? (You might locate your closest food pantry first—this is important; last year I had food to donate and the pantry I had intended to give it to, one operating out of a small church, had closed due to a declining congregation—and give them a call to find out if there is a specific date to donate before Christmas?) And, while you're at it, why not start another box on Hallowe'en night, so that you may treat someone before Thanksgiving?

There is no need to limit yourself to brand names. We eat any number of store brands in our home, and they are actually supplied by the same companies that furnish the "brand names" like Del Monte, Kelloggs, etc. We once asked a friend who worked in a meat packing plant what the difference was between Winn Dixie meat and Kroger meat. His answer: "The label."

You can also avail yourself of the pre-packaged bags you can buy at the grocery store for a donation of $5, $10, and $20, but I tend to avoid these as they supply a lot of processed food in these packages. I find I can afford food with better nutritional value from the shelves. You might buy foods with low salt or low sugar, as often people on limited incomes cannot find these in their local grocery stores (we have to go looking for them) and have health conditions where it would be preferable for them to eat reduced salt or sugar.