Being a self-Santa

A few years ago my husband and I finally figured out that buying each other gifts was, for us, swapping money.  After over 20 years, we had given up trying to find the perfect 'surprise' gift and instead solicited what the other wanted and where to buy it.  Since there was no surprise, it seemed kind of silly to buy the other what they already knew they were going to get and then making them wait until Christmas.  

So now we just get ourselves a little special treat at Christmas.  I have at least one friend who thinks this is unimaginable not to have a gift to open on Christmas morning but for us it is working beautifully.

So this year, my gift to myself was a new, smaller camera.  I still like my regular digital camera but I wanted something I could easily carry with me.  I got this Canon on Amazon for $80 and it seems to have almost everything my other camera has and it fits in the palm of my hand.

Another 'odd' thing about us is that we don't have smart phones.  We actually share one cell phone - one simple flip phone that takes photos but you can't download them only text them to someone else.  We save a ton of money with this and again, it works for us.  I could have gotten a TracPhone smart phone but it cost twice what the camera cost!

Mainly I wanted the camera to capture the every day stuff particularly since I'm doing Project 365/Life next year. This one fits in my purse or pocket.  I'm still a bit self-conscious about taking photos in stores, for example.  But people with Smartphones do this all the time so why can't I with my little regular camera?

We, scrapbookers, know that you need photos of all kinds of things to tell your story.  I may look a little silly taking my Mother's photo when she is shopping for a new dress, but I'll be capturing her doing something she loves and I'll record the memory doing something I love.  That's $80 well spent.