Ae can sweep fi ONE week until Christmas and there's definitely chat old famil- iar feeling of mad Christmas rush in the air. The malls are fiterally crawling with frantic shoppers looking for gifts tor inends and family, And not evervone scheertul abour their hofidas she ring. Pye heard a ton of complaining trom mothers trv Ing to find past the right ching to satisfy their kids’ Christmas wishes. To be honest, Pye been comphining too, Why only yesterday T griped to one of my boys about how hard it is to create a Christmas that lives up to my kids’ expectations, about how they already have so much that there is nothing they really want or need. He was not sympathetic at all. *Maother,” he scalded me, “de vou have any idea how difficult it is to buy decent presents for vou? You already have ow erything you want too.” Thadn‘t thought af ir, but the guy was right. Shopping for me must also be tough, 1, too, have great expeeta- tions for Christmas, I still dream of finding exciting sur- ys underneath the tree on mas morning. retly wish tor some delicate piece of jewelry or a beautifully wrapped, cuddly cashmere sweater. T imagine opening a Christmas card with a pair of tickets to Fiji, or Rome, or anywhere for that matter. Like kids everywhere, Lam a classic Christmas dreamer. Freally have no reason to continue dreaming this way about Christmas. It's not that Pve been hard done by. It’s Close to home just da vear atter sear the pits vader the tree for Shannon have been chosen almost exciusively to hel me dean things ‘The people wt TW house must think Tove clean ing. It was an escalating thing, this gifts: that help-vou clean theme. ft began innocentiy enough with the insertion of a couple of chamois into my Christmas stocking many vears aga. A benign enough and no doubt weil-intentioned gitt, those chamois were just the beginning of a long-lasting family trend in choosing witty for me. No doubt I made too much fis over them because every vear since then the deaning, supply gitis have grown in number and size. One vear Twas the lucky recipient of a dust buster, the Next it was a special attach- ment for the hose tor washing vour car. Another year it was a leaf blower, and then an assortment of household brushes with multi-colored handles. Finally, last year the cleaning trend “peaked (I hope) when I joyfully unwrapped the mud buster, a heavy-duty power washer for the home- cleaning enthusiast. A few years ago [took up the game of golf. My family was a little confused when I suggested they buy me golf- related gifts instead of cleaning supplies, but they soon found a Way to incorporate the nwo pla sional sln: taflations themes One was thes do this as by mau me gedit ball soaps. fr serve over tread te bawe a and clean up ali sour nooks and cranes with a Soap Shaped tikes and the same sive aca colroall, vou know how chificult. ¢ can be No omiatter how mc cher smell, gol ball soaps are roo ditticult to keep in vour Tans, too smal to doa decent CON crite pob, and sometimes thes xetcaught im places they shouldn't Pye alo been given alt vlub Cleaners, golf shoe clean nda towel for mv golt bay io clean offinv yolt balls. ‘These are all useful items, but Phase to adimit that E really preter vetting gitts thar have nothing to do with cleanings. I know it isn't cay shop- ping for me. Which brings me to the point of today’s col: tann, and that is, if voure out there scranibling to ‘buy a decent vet inexpensive gift for the woman who appears to have evervthing, here are a few non-cleaning related presents I have been given that I have really enjoyed: Movie: Blazing Saddles, Undoubtedly the funniest movie ever made, costs under S15, and vets more hilarious cach time vou watch it. (Warning, some course Jan- guage), Music: this year Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello have collaborated on a terrific CD, called Painted trom Memory. Gor it for my birth- day and it is great. Clothing: Thorlo Athletic Sox. These amazing sport socks cost $13 a pair burt last forever and feel like heaven on your feet, even when you don’t. A must have for the active woman. shower LEATHERMAN ONE TOOL, A COUPLE THOUSAND USES .., Great Gift! Reg 49” cz OF IEYS: Lynn Valley Centre 980-7503 PC vcctings / ¢ Custom-built Closer Organizers © Increase Overall Closet Capacity up to 100% * Affordable Custom-built Interiors © Adjustable Shelving * Custom-designed for Linen & Clothes Closets ¢ Installation or Do-It-Yourself ® Mirrored Doors to 8’ tall FREE ESTIMATES WOODLINES CUSTOM BUILT FURNITURE FOR HOME OR OFFICE ~ CANADIAN CLOSET “A family owned business since 1984" 1385 Crown St. N. Van. 986-4263 r Christmas Boons: Welam Somerset Maughan’’s Short Stortes, ary volume, Fows Yor can ecver ute wrong vidi a Whoooie Cushion. Ar SEO, the best deal out there. and the kind ot gitt kids love to waive and mothers love te receive! Tncideatally, these little MTS At ne ely tite stockings and are al guaranteed to niake the woman in vour ite feel go. “ without deaning ap. Call me cacy, but that’s what Tm wishing. for this Christmas. 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