Letters on how to have Christmas without spending a lot of money are pouring in to the point that there's no way we'll ever get through them all. I feel a lot of gratitude for the helpfulness of Meridian readers.

Our first letter today mentions not just gifts, but an activity that will give great meaning to the Christmas season for families with young children. I'll let the reader tell you in her own words:

One thing we have always done is the Shepherds' Supper.  We do it Christmas Eve. As a single Mum I was so busy it served two purposes. It simplified our celebration and it allowed the Spirit to enter the home for the holidays. 

We had a small tree, and I only lit the large star on the top.  That was the Star of Bethlehem lighting the way.  We put a tablecloth on the floor, dressed in pajamas, bathrobes and slippers, and tied something over our heads.  We each carried something to eat in a tied hanky — pita bread, cheese, grapes, apples, olives, and dates (whatever is available).  Each had a cup on our belt, and I carried a bottle of apple juice.

We walked around the house turning off all the lights and walking towards the star.  We were the shepherds and we wondered what the star was telling us. I let the children tell the story as they understood it, but I did tell them that because they have kept their first estate and are now on earth, they were quite possibly part of the heavenly choir that sang to witness to the shepherds. 

We ate our picnic and talked about how far to Bethlehem, that we were probably of the tribe of Levi and served in the temple and were watching the sacrificial lambs (use this only on older kids), and if we were to visit the Baby Jesus what would we take Him.  Then, because we couldn't actually go to Bethlehem , we would write down a special gift we could give to someone in our family or to others around us that would be meaningful to that person. 

Big kids can help little ones be realistic and help them write.  For example, "I will help Bobby (age 3) to match his shirts to his pants every morning before school for a week."  We wrote one gift from each child and parent to each child and parent.  Fold notes over and push a bread sack string through a corner so you can wire the sacks to the tree.  No one can peek until Christmas morning. 

There are some very inventive and heartfelt gifts, short term, do-able and they lift the self-esteem of the giver and the self worth of the receiver.  Mum makes a chart to help them remember.  Only one Christmas was I asked if we needed anything.  I managed it alone with inventions and creativity.  My kids are now 31 and 33, but I still have former foster children who come back and talk about Christmas in an LDS home.

I start cookies early and store them.  I buy small gifts every month of the year and hide them.  I encourage each child to save a small amount each week in my sock drawer to put away to buy a pen or a pack of gum for other kids.

When I had foster kids, I wrote a letter to each child talking of their great special gifts and how much they were loved.  We took lots of pictures for memories, we sang, we baked, we played games, we had imaginary friends for each of us and made up stories, we spent time together and we watched rented movies.  This year I am borrowing movies, and church has provided baking supplies — for our grandchildren, and my new husband and I will enjoy making time together special as we put our promises on the tree during Shepherds' Supper.

Wendy Holsberger

All your ideas were great, Wendy, but that Shepherd's Supper was inspired. I would imagine people all over the world will be having their own Shepherd's Suppers this year, thanks to the time you spent writing this letter.

I am in the same quandary as your reader in Baltimore , so I have been brainstorming.  I have small children but I think this could work for older people too.  I want to give each of them a certificate for an experience — a date with me or their dad, doing something they love to do.  These things can cost money, such as mini golfing or a trip to the bowling alley, but you don't have to actually buy the gift until they redeem it. (Just don't forget to go do it; I would suggest scheduling it sometime soon after Christmas when you bring out the 2009 calendar). 

I also thought about giving certificates for making a favorite treat.  These ideas can be cheaper than store-bought gifts and also defer the time you have to actually spend money on them (although I'm sure my kids will probably redeem their gifts pretty quickly). 

I am also looking for gifts that they would enjoy that will serve dual purposes or that I was planning to get them anyway — educational games, or a new comforter for their bed in the theme they want to decorate their room.  I will wrap everything I give them, even down to the new socks they need.  No, they aren't that exciting, but it makes for more presents to open.  Luckily, we have always spent modestly for Christmas and so it won't be a huge shock to my children.  I do find it helpful to hide the store ads, though, because if they need the ads to come up with what they want, they probably don't really want it that much.

Another idea is to look for gifts at yard sales and thrift stores.  Things don't have to be brand new to be wonderful gifts, and sometimes with a little elbow grease you can make them as good as new.  Also check the Freecycle yahoo group in your area — I have been able to provide others with gifts and needed items while cleaning out my closets through Freecycle many times, and also get a few things my family needed.   http://www.freecycle.org/

A.H. in UT

Thanks for writing, A.H. I'm a real fan of Freecycle, so I'm glad you mentioned it. Freecycle is good for giving or receiving!

I'm glad you mentioned wrapping everything , too. That's a trick my mother thought up, many years ago, to prolong our own Christmas mornings. We only allowed one person to open a gift at a time, so everyone took turns and was able to see what everyone else had received — even if it was “only” a pair of socks.

Around here there's a whole lot of "mixes in a jar" that go around. I actually have a new take on that theme this year. I've inherited an entire tub of tins from my mother-in-law. Most of them are the holiday tins that Oreo cookies sometimes come in. But there are various items that come in tin boxes. My mother-in-law could never throw them away.

So I'm going to do cookie or brownie mixes in a Ziploc bag, then put the bag in the tin. That's my gift for neighbors and ward members.

Also, my mom and sisters and I get together every year around the first of December and make Christmas candy. That has been my offering in years past. A few pieces of candy (a little goes a long way!) in a decorative bag or just a paper plate with colored plastic wrap. One neighbor has a special spice cake she makes every year. I look forward to that! Another neighbor gives out homemade bread and jam. Lots of homemade goodies going around the neighborhood.

Our friends all decided some years ago that we couldn't afford to exchange gifts every year, so we generally just get together for a party. Sometimes, if someone is feeling "wealthy," there's a gift of a $5 Blockbuster card with a box of microwave popcorn, which can be purchased from a dollar store.

It seems like our families never have much money. We generally do little gifts. My sister and my mom make things. One year my mom made perpetual calendars for us. She copied childhood photos for the "picture" part of the calendar. My sister has made plastic canvas holiday decorations, or crocheted afghans. (She's ambitious.) My mother-in-law would always give us boxes filled with all kinds of things that she'd collect when they were on sale, or from the dollar store: kitchen towels and wash cloths, holiday boxes of cold cereal, baking mixes. And then there'd be a little something special — a statue or some little thing that wasn't edible or useful.

Like I said, our families have never been very affluent. I really appreciate all the examples of gifts I've received. They give me ideas for gift-giving for future holidays.

Cheri Christensen
American Fork, Utah 

Thanks for some great ideas, Cheri. I'm especially grateful for the quote you added, which is at the bottom of today's column.

The very first thing that came to my mind on this subject [of inexpensive Christmas presents] is — your "time."  If the children are old enough to understand that you have lost your job and that the economy is going sour and we are headed into a recession, then tell them that Christmas will be tight and a bit different this year.  Some ideas to consider are:

• Give coupons redeemable by the receiver. 
• Hugs and words of "I love you" are priceless. 
• Time spent one-on-one, washing dishes together, baking/cooking, taking a walk together, meaningful Family Home Evening. 
• Give service. When was the last time that you volunteered at your local Bishop's Storehouse?  Ask your bishop what you could do for someone in your ward.  Make it a gospel-centered Christmas.  Jesus was born in a stable, and his gifts were simple. 
• Act out the Christmas story with makeshift costumes. The Three Kings didn't come on the scene with their gifts until a year or more later. 
• Read to them more. 

Children are resilient.  They will bounce back.  On the other hand, this may be the Christmas that they will always remember.  We all need this kind of Christmas (or any time) to keep us humble.

Lynn from Oregon

Thanks for your suggestions, Lynn . You have practical suggestions.

Speaking of practical suggestions, I got a great website in an email to my real email address today. The first link, http://www.cindysporch.net/ takes you to a website that is all about living for less all year long. But she has two other links as well — Cindy's Cash Christmas Headquarters, and ABCs of “Do Instead of Buy” Gift Ideas. That last link especially is very appropriate for the current discussion.

Our RS has a tradition of "trading table."  In November we have everyone gather the things that they no longer use, clean and repair them, and bring them to the church. We can all “shop” for things that would be helpful to our families.  A few things take place with this process:

• We all understand that we might see the items again, but they are no longer ours;
• We take joy in helping each other;
• Our worldly appetites get a check and balance;
• Our children have a wonderful Christmas and so do we as we learn to see things as they really are. 

This year I began my Christmas in March by creating my own life story for my children and grandchildren.  I was concerned that my grandchildren were involved in too much iPod, MP3, computer gaming stuff and decided to let them know about my life as a child.  I included in their present "kits" that the children could use to entertain themselves — walnut shell boats, seeds to grow their own hollyhock dolls, cans to make into stoves to cook their own meals, yarn dolls and empty thread spools to blow bubbles with. 

Although I did spend a significant amount of money to have my life story printed and bound, it wouldn't have to be that way.  It could be computerized and then run off on a copy machine. 

I think the time has come for all of us to concentrate on the important things of life rather than just the “things” of life.  I don't know how excited they will be, but I am enjoying Christmas this year much more than I ever have.  Best wishes to you in your endeavors to create "the best times of our lives."

JJ

I love the idea of the “kits,” JJ. There are so many things that children can make and enjoy all the more because they have been in on the process from the beginning. Thanks for a terrific suggestion!

It seems our Christmases have always been on a shoestring! Among our favorite gifts to give are gingerbread houses. If we are having a good year, the houses are filled with something inside — put in after the walls are up and hardened, and before the roofs are put on. We make them small, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap, and tie a ribbon around with a simple bow on top. The recipe (given below) was from my third-great-grandmother, who called it molasses cookies, and served them with large homemade dill pickles to visiting family. I have eliminated ½ cup of water from her recipe, to make it stiff enough to roll, after chilling.

Cyndy Cadenhead

Gingerbread

Royal Icing

Buttercream Icing

Assembly

Thanks for the instructions, Cyndy! Doing a project like this would be lots of fun with older children. And thanks for the recipe for Royal Icing. Royal Icing is a great all-purpose edible “glue.” In fact, our very next letter features a candy train that is glued together with this handy confection:

I don't know if my suggestions will help this particular individual, but, in general, I think the most memorable Christmases involve very simple activities that were fun to do together.  Our family has fond memories of bundling up to go see Christmas lights on Temple Square in Salt Lake City . (If you live in another city, there will be plenty of other choices for you and your family.)

Another time, we invited friends and neighbors to go caroling with us.  We copied out the words to some favorite songs and made hot apple cider to have when we got back to the house.  With the donuts we bought to go with the cider, we were only out a few dollars and gathered a large group of friends that seemed to grow as we travelled around the neighborhood!

Last year, we had a large extended family Christmas.  We made Christmas trains, by making a very stiff "frosting" as glue and assembled all sorts of candy on foil-covered cardboard to make trains and various other really creative scenes.  To make this more meaningful and to control the chaos, parents were paired up with their little children to create their masterpieces.  It was great fun and I think the kids enjoyed the time with their dads and moms. (Dads seemed to love this one.)

One example of a Christmas train. Be creative! You can make logs out of Tootsie Rolls and “coal” for the coal car out of small pieces of licorice or even Red Hots. Use the Royal Icing recipe elsewhere in this column for the glue. The sky is the limit!

I have been making flannel pillowcases this year for some of the kids in the family, even my teenagers.  They seem to enjoy going to the store and picking out their own colors and patterns and then having a soft pillowcase that they had a part in creating.
 

In short, Christmas is more than what ends up under the tree.  But as far as that goes, compile some family recipes and make a little book for college-bound family members or missionaries.  Find a conference talk that is particularly appropriate for an individual and stitch a quote from it and turn it into a pillow or frame it or tole paint it and give your gift along with the talk.  Pray.  Ideas will come.  Good luck

Tina Whitney
West Jordan, Utah

Thanks for a great letter, Tina. I well remember making Christmas trains myself, in former years. You can get really creative with candy. In fact, we should have mentioned this in time for people to save their Halloween candy. We could have made good use of all that teeth-rotting goodness.

Because I haven't yet turned up our furnace today, your flannel pillowcases sound very inviting. What a great idea for a Christmas gift that will remind the recipients of our love all year round!

Read on for another Christmas recipe, which comes with an inspirational story:

Years ago I read a story in Readers Digest , which has stayed with me ever since.  It's a story about a young couple on the prairies, and their young son.  The father is a writer, and does his best to support the family.  They realized that this year there wouldn't be any decorations for the Christmas tree, other than strings of popcorn.  There would be no presents under the tree, no turkey, none of the special food they loved to eat at Christmas time.  It is during the depression years and not much work is to be found for a writer. 

Out of the desperation of a young father's heart, he and his wife come up with a wonderful idea.  Each family member could look through old catalogues, find the pictures of gifts they would like to give, if they had the money.  Then they could paste them on a piece of paper, roll it up, and bind it with some twine.  But, they had to give one special gift too — a gift that totally would come from the heart, a drawing or a picture from the catalogue. 

Christmas came, and when it was time for the gift opening the little boy could hardly contain himself. He had been very busy with his gift finding.  I won't go into all the gifts that were given, but for mother there was a warm coat, a beautiful necklace, and other things. Finally it came time for the “special gifts” to be opened.  I don't recall the gifts from father to mother, mother to father, but to the little boy came a big red fire engine, a new sled, and other treasures. 

Then came the moment when the little boy gave his gift to mother to open. His eyes were full of excitement, and he could hardly wait for Mother to untie the twine around his “special gift.”  Tears streamed down her face, and father's too, when they saw the beautiful picture their little boy had drawn.  There was a beautiful house, nice manicured lawn, fruit trees, a dog, and a white picket fence surrounding it.  The most precious was a drawing of three stick people — unmistakably a mother, father and a little boy — holding hands.  This was the most precious gift of all, to know that this was the best gift from their little boy, the love and comfort of his family. 

They kept that drawing for years and years, to lay on the Christmas tree branches even when times got better, just to remind them of the most important thing — family!  This is a true story; I don't remember if it was the dad or mom who submitted it.  I wish I could find it again, to share the whole story. 

When our children were young, we made special Christmas cookies, we then made up a plate, then we'd bring it to our neighbours.  The children often talk about it when we're all together now.  Here is a recipe for some Danish cookies and it is very easy to make.

Pebernødder (Peppernut Cookies)

Jenny Svendsen
Salt Spring Island, B.C. Canada

Thanks for your story and recipe, Jenny. The cookies sound terrific. I especially liked that word, “easy.”

I also love Christmas because I get to give gifts to all of my favorite people.  I can't wait for Christmas morning to see the looks on my children's faces.  However, much like most of America , this year will also be tight for us. 

My first suggestion is to remember a little will go a long way.  I have actually found some very good deals on some quality toys and other presents at the local dollar stores.  I was even able to pick up a few extra gifts for my niece and nephew.  I also always look in the back of department stores for the clearance racks and have been able to find some very good deals.  I recently was able to find shirts and pants for just $1.00 apiece. 

There are also many secondhand, discount, and thrift stores.  I recently went through all of my kids' old clothes, baby items, and toys that we no longer needed but that are still in good condition.  I took them to a local store called Kid to Kid in exchange for in-store credit.  I could then purchase new clothes and toys inside the store.

Also, if you aren't used to clipping coupons, now may be the time to start.  Check newspapers, catalogs, mail ads, and online for some great deals on not only presents, but holiday food items as well.  It may not seem like much help, but it all adds up.

Another idea, and I believe most important, is to look inside yourself and discover your talents and what maybe you can give personally to the ones closest to you.  I have looked back at the many Christmases come and gone and realize my best memories and most favorite gifts were those that were homemade and thoughtfully given. 

One year when I was 7 months pregnant with my second and in the middle of packing to move, my husband came home a few days before Christmas with my special gift.  He just couldn't wait to give it to me on Christmas.  He had written a song for me including how we met and all the funny things that had happened and special things about me.  He got a friend who is very musically and technologically talented to record a CD for me.  He brought the CD home and put it in and sang along to it, just for me.  I'm tearing up now just thinking of it. That is still my favorite gift I have ever received.  My husband showed just how much he cared about me by how thoughtful and original his gift was, and it cost him practically nothing.

Another year my mother-in-law (who is a very gifted writer and cartoonist) decided to write and illustrate a personal story for my husband, myself, and each of my kids.  She was currently going through treatment for cancer, so this effort in particular meant a lot to us.  Each story had a character (human, or animal) that resembled each of us or something about us.  She put them in plastic sheet protectors and put them in a folder.  I still have these precious stories, which will be a family treasure forever. 

Other gift possibilities are craft projects and Christmas treats.  I love to bake and Christmas is a good excuse for baking lots of treats.  I usually make a few different kinds and then plate them up and take them to neighbors, friends, and sisters I visit teach.  Who doesn't like a plate of Christmas goodies during the holidays?  

Also, I have found countless fun crafts and cheap projects online.  One of my favorite sites is www.familyfun.com.  This Halloween was totally homemade for my family; we made a giant spider out of trash bags and painted pumpkin rocks.  My kids had fun and will probably always remember the time spent together making everything.  Also, my mother-in-law gave me a book with Christmas gifts for under $10.00.  I'm sure you could check the library for a similar book or for other craft and gift idea books. 

Here is a fun idea that I have made in the past that also gets a few laughs. 

Reindeer Droppings

Supplies (for one gift)

Instructions:

I'm actually kind of glad that this year we don't have as much as previous years.  I think it will let my family focus more on why we really celebrate Christmas and appreciate each other more.  Christmas has become too commercialized and maybe this year we can reflect more on Christ and more on our family and what is really important during this time of year.  May everyone be blessed with a simple, but joyful Christmas this year!

Downsizing Christmas 

What a great attitude you have, Downsizing — to be grateful for having less money at this time of year! I really enjoyed your ideas, and predict that “Reindeer Droppings” will be a popular gift this year, thanks to you!

Last year I made little recipe books for my children. I went online (Google images) and found some very cute blank recipe cards, inserted them into my Printshop computer program and printed all of their favorite recipes. For the books, I bought little photo albums for a dollar each and covered them with fun scrapbook paper using double-sided tape. It was a big hit and didn't cost me too much. My youngest is 20 and of the four, three are married. This wouldn't work for young children but maybe for your neighbors and friends.

I have also done Scherenschnitte for Christmas and other occasions. This is an art-form of cut paper. It's wonderful if you can buy a nice frame and mat, but I have mounted my pictures on Canson art paper (not construction paper), scrapbook paper, and other paper you can get at the craft store, and used the 2 for $5.00 frames from the grocery store. I use 8 ½ x 11 inch parchment paper for almost all of my pictures; it's available in the stationary section at Walmart and other discount stores. Google “scherenschnitte” and you may be able to find some free patterns. I have also used scrollsaw patterns. See what your library has in the way of books on scherenschnitte patterns and scrollsaw patterns. One more place to check for patterns, if you are like me and cannot draw, would be the Christmas idea books from Leisure Arts, Better Homes & Gardens, etc. These books can also often be checked out from the Library. Little scissors, an xacto knife (#11), a cutting mat or stack of old newspapers to cut on are really the only tools you need.

Good luck! I am in the same boat and will be cutting paper and adding to the “favorite family recipes” cookbook this year.

Susan Owen

Thanks for some great ideas, Susan. I googled “blank recipe cards” and came up with a website that designs free templates for recipe cards and gift certificates. I am so excited about the ways people are using the internet to make things easier for others! Here's the website: http://www.apollostemplates.com/ .

Here is a YouTube video that demonstrates Scherenschnitte ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OWhRPWrrB0 ). This could turn into a hobby for some of you, so you may want to give it a look.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of folks in the same boat as “Broke in Baltimore ” — namely me!  I am doing the homemade Christmas this year as well.  I have some beads from previous projects, so am making bracelets, earrings, keychains and cell phone charms this year.  I have found that Walmart is a wonderful place to shop for inexpensive beads and findings (charms).  This way, my gifts are unusual and one of a kind.  It gives me a chance to use my imagination and creativity.

I also do baking. There is no handed-down recipe from my grandmother or anything; my grandmother didn't make cookies!  I usually do oatmeal chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, fudge, that kind of thing.

Just remember, it isn't the cost — it's the thought that counts.

Terri R. Simmons
Lathrop Ward, California

Okay, Terri, since your grandmother didn't cooperate by handing you down a recipe, I'm going to be a surrogate grandmother and hand one down to you. (I am old enough to be your grandmother, no matter how old you are!) This is the easiest thing in the world — especially if you have a double-boiler or even a microwave.

Granny Kathy's Chocolate-Dipped Anythings

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Okay, friends and neighbors, we only have one letter left for this week's offerings — and it has a lot of credence because it comes from a starving college student. Here it is:

Last year I took my two toddler siblings Christmas shopping. We left with 5 dollars to split between the two of them, and came back with a couple pennies, totally done with Christmas shopping for 10 people. There are unlimited gifts you can give people for a dollar or less. Being "creative" sounds a lot more complicated than it really is.  Here are a few things that I've found helpful:

• It doesn't matter if it costs too little, just if it costs too much.
• Don't give useless junk, just for the sake of giving something.
• Look for things they have that aren't quite right in the recipient's surroundings.
• Look for needs that are hard to meet.
• Homemade stuff doesn't have to be time-consuming.
• Free stuff rocks.

Examples of each principle:

• I have brothers that find it excruciating to gain weight. They probably average (as grown men) around 120 pounds, at 6 feet. We got a bunch of Ramen Noodle packets, and attached funny notes to them to say what they were for. This worked better coming as it did from a 5-year-old, but they thought it was great.
• Remember that Christmas is about the person, not about the size of the box under the tree. Make sure always when you give a gift that it will leave the person better than he was before. My sister and I were tomboys. We had this drawer in out bathroom where we stockpiled all the perfumes and fingernail polishes that people gave us over the years because they had no idea what to give us. When she got married and moved out, we picked out a couple and threw the rest away.
• One time, I was babysitting my nephew and I noticed that my sister's only hairbrush had no handle. They were poor college students, and she had made do for quite some time. I put a birdie in my mother's ear and this was remedied on Mother's Day. Another night in February, I was at their apartment helping make dinner and for the life of me I could not find a can opener. When I asked my sister where it was, she showed me this military can opener that they had been using since they were married. (For those of you who haven't used one before, it's about an inch long and works like a lever. They are a pain to use.) I thought it was hilarious but needing replacing, so when Valentine's Day rolled around, I got them a real can opener.
• All my married siblings, like my parents, have a tradition of going on a date night every Friday, whether or not there are more pressing needs. I have noticed, however, that they have a really difficult time thinking up creative date ideas that help them bond instead of just going out to dinner every week. For Christmas this year, I'm making a "Romantic Night In-A-Box" for each couple, involving a few candlesticks I found on sale, hot chocolate packets, $1 tins of piroline cookie sticks (Dollar Tree), microwavable fondue (DT again) and money for strawberries. Each of these packets is costing me $5 tops — all stuffed in a shoebox decorated with regular Christmas wrapping paper left over from last year.
• Great example of a cheap, homemade gift: cookies in a jar. Everyone loves food, especially easy hot homemade food, and these are a breeze to make. Pack the ingredients in regular quart canning jars, cut 8-inch circles out of christmasy fabric, and cover the lid with the circle, tying it with a bow. Lots of great recipes here: http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/giftsinjar.html . These can also just go in bags.
• Free stuff is awesome — it just takes a little more creativity than usual. I have a teenage brother who is in that stage where he wants to be cool, wants girls to like him, and yet is not excited about things that are intended to make him a better person. After lots of thought, I realized that he loves music. He has a little piano experience, but has loathed the piano practice because it's boring. Surfing the internet I've discovered lots of sites with legal free sheet music of popular songs. I'm going to collect a bunch of these in his favorite genre and print them out for him. This helps him get a skill, gain confidence. Even if it's a little beyond his abilities, he'll be thrilled, and he'll pluck it out. There are lots of places that you can get free MP3s too, especially from artist websites (most have at least one song up for free download, most have 5 or more) Collecting online things can also work for poetry-lovers, history buffs, and so on.

Places of inspiration:

• Asian food markets (way cheap and interesting foods),
• Old people (ask them what they did for Christmas as children),
• Clothes Closets (hey, no shame! Sometimes they have really cool stuff),
• Walmart clearance section
• People's bedrooms (look for things that aren't quite right, or for needs that are hard to meet)
• Calendars (what is coming up in their life?)

Have fun!

Laura C., starving college student

Laura, your ideas are fun! So often we who are poor focus on the dreariness of poverty, but you've made poverty an adventure. Good for you! I'm sure lots of people will be inspired by your creative ideas.

Okay, people, we have one more week of Christmas ideas. After that I'm going to bundle up all the gazillion other letters we've received on the subject and use them in December next year. By next year, “Broke in Baltimore ” may be flush again — but there will always be a “Busted in Birmingham ” or a “Bankrupt in Baton Rouge .” These are ideas that will keep!

Until next week — Kathy

People are the most important things; families are the most important people.

Cheri Christensen
Meridian Reader