My strategy for this year was to keep a text file on my phone where I kept a list of the people I intended to buy gifts for. Throughout the year whenever a good gift idea occurred to me I’d update the list. While this might not be what you had in mind as avoiding consumption, my plan was to give a gift that was useful as well as thoughtful. I don’t want to give someone a cheap blob of plastic that will end up in the trash by the end of the month just to check a name off my list. I did buy one gift certificate for a locally owned microbrewery. In years past I’ve made Christmas ornaments that were tailored to the recipient but no good ideas came to me this year

I’ve had two houses over a hundred years old. The first was a “shot gun shack”. As soon as you’d open the front door in the winter the thermostat would click. Had some front doors installed dividing the living room from what we called the foyer. It made a big difference. My house now has a mud room at the side door. I’ve kept the original door which I’m sure isn’t energy efficient so it cuts down on draft

I doubt the spout pipe is soldered in, should be threaded. When cranking on pipes like that generally two pipe wrenches work best but if you can only have your hand on one side vice grips might work. You can try clamping it to a stud somehow lol. If it’s soldered though I’d think you’d need to cut it or heat the solder up with a torch to remove it but I’m betting it’s threaded. Don’t be surprised if it’s tough to turn. You might be able to loosen it up with a torch, be careful not to burn any wood. If you do have to cut it a pipe cutter or hacksaw will work if you have room. A reciprocating saw is an option.

I should mention I’m not a plumber though minor plumbing is part of my job plus I’ve owned two houses over a hundred years old. It’s hard to give specific advice remotely. You’ll figure it out. Adapt and overcome!

Know where your shut off valves are. Assume they don’t shut and locate the ones upstream from those and of course know where your main shut off is. Plumbing isn’t hard but often the work you need to do is in a cramped miserable space. It helps to have two wrenches. When cranking hard on a fitting it’s a good idea to keep the wrench on the next piece to prevent the torque from putting stress on piping further down the line. I hope this makes sense. You can replace old piping with PEX pipe and fittings. I don’t have experience with it but it seems easy. I learned to solder with a propane torch by practicing on a few fittings in a bench vice. Not hard but there are a few things you need to know. Metal drains are easy to replace with PVC. Good Luck