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Christmas: deck the malls with tons of money
Observer
Melbourne Life & Style
Yvonne’s Column
with Yvonne Lawrence
yvonne@ melbourneobserver.com.au
Melbourne Observations
with Matt Bissett-Johnson
■ How do you tell some of your dearest friends that
they really should get a life.
Gifts bought and wrapped and stashed away months
before the big day I suppose is okay for them, but not
for me.
Only once have I bought a few gifts mid year with
no one particular in mind and put them away.
I forgot about them and it wasn't until a couple of
years later that I discovered them.
It's those who are girding their loins to hit the stores
for the traditional Boxing Day sales intending to buy
next years gifts and wrapping paper that I wonder about.
Where do they get the energy, and more impor-
tantly, how has anyone got one cent left in their pocket
after the Christmas spend-up?
‘Maxed credit cards’
■
I hate deadlines because although I'm working only
a week in advance it's pressure, it seems like I am
wishing my life away.
People who are so organised that they are prepared
months in advance wouldn't have much time left in
their lives for anything else.
I've got to the age when I do what I have to do but
I don't go looking for extra. I'm usually ready when
necessary, but if I sometimes don't get things done on
time, then ce la vie!
I find it hard to balance the budget at Christmas
time, and this year it will be even more difficult be-
cause the price of provisions has gone through the
roof, but I would love to know the secret of having
bank-loads of money, or a credit card that has not
been maxed out to the limit.
Stick to a budget
■ One year I thought I'd work to a budget and make
my own Christmas cards.
I painted sweet little animals with the appropriate
message. They really were gorgeous and many of my
friends asked to buy them.
I was so happy with the result and how well they
were received I could have gone into the hand-painted
Christmas card business.
But how could I charge my friends? I gave them
away a