Shhh ...I'm going to tell you a secret. We don't shop for Christmas. As a family we (ok I) decided to wean ourselves from the Christmas shopping ritual of adding stuff to a house running over with stuff three years ago. It was not an easy endeavor. The first year of telling our friends and family that we were not exchanging gifts was hard. Not as hard as realizing that we weren't getting anything from each other. Oh the anxiety of waking up to an empty Christmas tree was nerve wrecking. As soon as January came we ran out and bought everything we would have bought for Christmas only things were truly marked down and we could buy more of it (stuff).
The second year we decided to only purchase gifts that improve your mind, body or health. Hey not bad. Gift certificates for massages, pedicures, books, classes and reviving family board games during the holidays replaced buying stuff.
Last year we adopted a family for Christmas and sent cooked "Greenburg" turkeys to some stressed out friends. We longingly looked at the twinkling , almost bare bottom tree, sipping cider, talking about Christmases past and just enjoyed Christmas morning. It was peaceful. Perfect.
Patti LaBelle says it best. "It's not about the gifts you're giving. It's all about the life you're living. It's all about His love. Don't let the advertisements fool you, don't let the commercials over rule you. Jesus is the reason for the season."
How are you spending (literally) spending your Christmas? Do you wish Christmas could be celebrated in a more simple way without the emphasis on purchasing something? Do you feel there is only so much stuff you can buy in a lifetime until it all becomes just that...stuff?
OR do you think I am just a heartless old grinch?
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