Coin Jar Gifts

I keep a coin jar (well, strictly speaking, I keep a coin mug) in my office, and I dump change in there over the course of the day--change from when I buy lunch out or a Diet Coke from the vending machine. I consider it a sort of self-taxation system. I've had the coin mug since a couple weeks after I started this job--almost three months ago now (wow!). I think, in order to somewhat alleviate the holiday burden, I'm going to be cashing it in at my local CoinStar machine somewhere in the next week and a half. I'm thinking I'll probably take somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 away from the machine.

That $25, totally painlessly, will buy me a dozen oranges, a yard or two of ribbon, and a big bag of whole cloves in bulk from one of the Indian markets on Lexington Avenue, and I'll be able to give a dozen hanging clove oranges, which are long-lasting, sweet-smelling, and decorative, without touching a dime of my earmarked gift money.