I need to get this out there. Christmas totally stresses me out and it SHOULDN'T! I remember as a kid everything was so much simpler. Get presents and smile :-). Now that I'm married it's "who's house will we be at this year?", "what do I get so and so?", "aaahhhh, please don't get us anything so we don't have to feel obligated to get you anything!". I know that all sounds stupid but I think it's different for everyone based off the kind of family you have.
Every year we try to make it to every one's home for the holidays. If we're here for Thanksgiving we'll be there for Christmas. If we're there for Christmas we'll be over there for New Years. Obviously at Christmas it's all spread out from family to family because everyone wants everyone to be together. So Christmas Eve we'll be here, Christmas Day we'll be there. Blah blah blah.
It's exhausting.
This year I'm overwhelmed with everyone talking about shopping, shopping and more shopping especially when I can't be out doing the shopping too. And when I say this I really don't mean that I'm jealous that everyone is shopping and I'm not. I've really realized this year that it's crazy nuts for me to feel so upset and overwhelmed that I can't give the kind of gifts that we'll most likely get. We obviously fall into a whole different category when it comes to finances this year and we can't go all out...not that we would if we could. When did Christmas become about presents and the newest fad? What about the birth of Jesus? Hello? Is anyone out there?
I'm totally guilty of being way too excited about getting something new and I still have a lot of work to do to retrain my brain to think otherwise since Christmas presents have always been a big deal in my family.
Sean and I want to work really hard to start a new trend with our little family. Maybe instead of getting and getting and getting we'll take a year to just give to little kids who never get. Or maybe before getting Christmas presents we'll sit down and pick a few toys to giveaway. It's insanely crazy how many toys kids have these days...oh and the KIND of toys. Wii's, nintendo ds, laptops, cell phones. What ever happened to a baby doll, some fingernail polish and a pair of pajamas? Haha. It's like we're all setting our kids up to be selfish with an "I deserve this" attitude as if they didn't have a hard enough time as it is being born that way. Anyways, I'm just sayin. I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes or anything. These are just things that I've been realizing now that I have my own kiddos AND since we're in a completely different position this year.
I don't want AK to feel like she has a right to receive. I want her to be happy and fulfilled in giving with a happy spirit. AND I want to be that way. I also want to be happy to give what I can give and happy about not going into debt doing it! Help me Lord.
Does anyone out there have any little traditions they do with their family to teach their little ones about Jesus and giving, and not being selfish, and being thankful for what you have??
2 comments:
Girl, I am SO guilty of that! BUT I feel like we are always home and I know Autumn gets tired of playing with the same things over and over again. A new little tradition I want to start with my girls is about a week or two before Christmas, I want to go through all of their toys and the stuff they don't need or don't play with anymore, we are going to pack up and take to the Goodwill or Salvation Army.
You are right though, it is so hard to not get caught up in all of it.
Amen and amen. We definitely felt the nudge to do it different and are thankful. Randy's parents (who are divorced) scheduled two different weekends (they didn't collaborate) to celebrate Christmas. This freed us to spend Christmas Day with my parents and we spent QUALITY time with each family. We also did homemade gifts, which allowed us to give to each adult/couple. I buy my nieces/nephews throughout the year & bargain shop for SUPER CHEAP clothes, that are PRACTICAL gifts. We also, do PJ's for Christmas Eve & this year started three gifts per child with stockings)to represent the three gifts Jesus received. I'm already brainstorming on gifts to make for everyone next year. I want to be a joyful giver & creating this year was such a delight!
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