Can you use the words FRUGAL and CELEBRATION in one sentence?

My first response would be NO!!!! Celebration for me has always involved money, and lots of money makes for better celebrations. The problem was that both the money and the celebration did not last long. Sjoep-sjoep, gone was the money and over the celebration.

I refuse however to stop celebrating. Celebrating life, people, cultures, me, my family, everything around me. So I have created my own year. There are many years - the calender year, the fiscal year, the lunar year, the Gregorian year, and now the CELEBRATION YEAR. It will run from 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015 and will celebrate big and small things, different religions, cultures, countries, seasons. It will be a year of celebrating frugality - and this fairy is super excited about sharing and celebrating with you.

Which brings us to December. This is truly a month for celebrating, and all over the world, in different religions and cultures, people are getting ready to celebrate various religious and cultural events. All over the world, in different religions and cultures people are struggling to make ends meet and survive from day-to-day. Should westop celebrating in honour of those who feel they have nothing to celebrate? I am going to accelerate my celebrations in honour of the tremendous spirit of the human race - with all its weaknesses, problems, issues and trauma! Because we are all perfect in our imperfection.

I can in a small way make it better in my community and share the celebrations with others who cannot afford even the basics in life. So how do I do this frugally?

THE FRUGAL FAIRY IS ASKING YOU FOR SOMETHING FOR FREE AND SHE WILL GIVE IT AWAY FOR FREE! (she is getting better at asking for things for free - practise makes perfect)
1)   Look in your house, garden shed, garage, under your beds, in the deepest corners of your cupboards for old, broken, unwanted stuff
2)   Let me know by sending an sms to 0763488991 (sorry people over the sea, but you can do this same exercises in your country)
3)   I will collect or pay for transport/courier/postage
4)   I will open a "celebration hospital" at home, where each patient is admitted, diagnosed, operated and fixed, and delivered to a special family in need
5)   I will take pictures and post it on my blog with special thanks to the co-celebrator who gifted the stuff

Now I know it is just stuff, but for someone who does not have a lot of stuff, it could just make a big stuffing difference. Stuff that would work are:
-  old cups, plates, glasses, cutlery, dishes, pots, pans, etc. (they can be mismatched, a little bit chipped, bent, etc.) The people who we are involving in our celebrations currently cook over an open fire outside, do not have any electricity, get up at 4 in the morning to get the fire going, children ready for school - so would be thankful for anything)
-  TOYS. Even if some bits are missing, broken, if ti is dirty, the hospital will clean-up, fix as best it can and make a plan to celebrate a child's life
-  clothes and shoes - again, I will mend, fix, wash, trim, alter anything you can give.
-  blankets and linen - that annoying single pillowcase that does not go with anything and the lumpy cushion can make the difference in someone else's life in giving them a good night's rest.

So what are we going to eat in December - CHICKEN!!! Chicken is the frugal person's turkey. Everyday this month I will make a chicken dish which will comply with the 2 non-negotiable standards; it has to be njammie and it has to be cheap.

The first one is from Jeremy Mansfield and his wife Jacqui 's cookbook Zhoozsh. It is called Chicken a la Antoontjie and here is frugal fairy's version. Total cost for 4 hungry people is R45.40, so just over R11 per person all inclusive!!! (excludes wine, desert, starters and all extras). To make it closer to R40 - do not use a cooking bag, just moer it in a pot and use the lid/tinfoil to keep it closed and cooking in its own juices.


Step 1: Find a cost effective source for chicken. I am privileged to live where I live. I am surrounded by mealie-fields, wonderful people, and lots of chickens. Day Break has a "chicken-factory-shop" in Rietkol where I live, so braving my fear of queues, waiting in line and buying anything that does not come from Pick&Pay - I set off on my chicken-hunting trip. RESULTS - 4 chicken leggie bits (which includes the thigh as well as the drumstick - luckily the feet were not attached) cost me R20. In Pick&Pay this would count for 8 chicken portions.



















Step 2: Put into roasting bag (or roasting tin): aforementioned chicken, 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped
carrots, either baby potatoes/chunks of potatoes

I also made the original recipe with dried apricots (which is NOT a frugal item) and think it is better without this ingredient

Step 3: Mix together 2 tablespoons chutney, 2 tablespoons mayo, 100ml apricot juice, curry powder, bit of paprika and turmeric, salt and pepper. We make our own curry powder (ask if you want the recipe)

Step 4: mix-mix, shake-shake, into oven and bake for about 2 hours in 180 oven.

Step 5: Make cous-cous and serve with fresh coriander. Original recipe called for chickpeas in cous-cous - but frugality can do without this additional ingredient without affecting njamminess of dish.

I HAVE NEW RESPECT FOR FOOD PHOTOGRAPHERS!!!!!!!

As you can see, I am even frugal with my step-by-step instructions. If you still do not know the basics of cooking - you should not be doing it! (180 oven is not a new brand of oven, it is 180 degrees!)

I would give this recipe the following score:
Njamminess: 7/10
Cheap:  7/10
Easy: 9/10

One of the challenges for wrapping came from Hilda - who mentioned that old patterns could be used for wrapping. So never one to shy away from a challenge - I duly started and found it extremely difficult to be creative, neat, and in general do not believe this was such a success from my side.

But I refused to give up, so tackled the actual sewing pattern as a way to wrap presents - and quite liked the look and feel of the final product.  So can imagine a very nice theme for celebrations using old patterns. Colour scheme would be neutral, black with touches of whatever other colour takes your fancy. Tree can be decorated with bit of wool, pom-poms, measuring tapes, string of beads, etc.

I have done a quick search on Google and here are some pictures for sewing inspirations. This is definitely my theme for my Christmas tree next year!!!!!!  And sorry to say - someone beat me on the old pattern-sleeve wrapping idea - look how beautiful theirs are!

This year Christmas has been cancelled in my house, as I am focusing on bringing joy to people outside my house - but next year - watch me next year!!! And the sewing theme should be a nice cost effective way to have a very special celebration.

Lovies
Lizette