We ventured out today into the holiday shopping madness. So many people were out with their long lists attempting to cross everything off that list in the next 30 days. But, we weren't out buying gifts.
We took control of the gift madness a few years ago. My siblings and I decided to forgo gifts for each other in favor of spending that money on spoiling our parents a little more. As adults, we had all reached that point where there really wasn't anything that we needed that we weren't already buying for ourselves.
As for our children, we had gone through a couple of Christmas seasons where we attempted to get them everything they asked for. It was physically (and fiscally) exhausting. And then on Christmas morning they liked one or two things and the rest went unnoticed. We also were searching for a way to tie meaning to a season that has -in my humble opinion - devolved into an orgy of consumerism. We decided return meaning to the holiday and curb the spending by limiting our children to three gifts. Three gifts are what the Christ child was given so it allowed us to remind the children of the Christmas story. Plus, it forced our children to think long and hard about what they really wanted for Christmas rather than blindly circling everything in the Toys R Us circular. And we - as Santa - work very hard to make sure that what is on their lists shows up under the tree.
Most our friends were in disbelief when we started this - but our kids have never complained. And Christmas morning is really a joy. The kids are thrilled with what they open on Christmas morning because they get exactly what they wanted. And we have a leisurely morning actually PLAYING with the toys followed by a family meal and a holiday movie. Christmas Day is lovely.
Peace.
Tee
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