We received a toy catalog in the mail last week filled to the brim with all the things my children need this Christmas. I keep getting emails from certain stores with alluring pictures of shiny girls with new dolls and rough and tumble boys with bikes and trains and video games...and of course, I perused the catalog and viewed the emails. What good mother wouldn't? Of course if there are amazing toys out there that my children must have I must begin executing a plan now to ensure they have it all. Layaway? Credit cards? Overspending? Doesn't matter how we do it! Our children MUST have an epic Christmas and toys and gifts will make it so.
But then, as I was driving yesterday contemplating why Santa is such a big deal (that's another controversy for another post), I realized this: Christmas is already epic. The God of the universe sent Himself in human form to the earth so that He could have a relationship with the people He created and ultimately ensure we could have a relationship with Him forever. It is...mind boggling, insane, crazy and yes, EPIC. So what on earth do these toy catalogs have to do with that? Why all the commercialism and stress and abundance of so much crap we don't need? (Wow, thanks for the pen that is also a paper weight and alarm clock! It's what I've always wanted!) I suddenly, in this moment of clarity, saw a great need for simplicity.
I called my husband who I had just recently gone over a Christmas budget with and said, "I know how we can and why we should reduce our Christmas budget by 80%." (He was very excited by the way I began this conversation!) I went on to explain the idea of a traditional, home made Christmas and all the reasons I wanted out of the Christmas Crazies. I suggested we make gifts for our children using simple and affordable materials, make our own Christmas decor and focus this season on family and faith instead of gifts and spending. In short, I asked his permission to simply bow out of all the crazy spending, plotting, scheming and stress that comes with what should be the most stressless and thankful holiday we celebrate. He loved the idea! So when I arrived home, I began some online research on a homemade Christmas only to realize I didn't need any help. I know my children and the things they like. Besides, I wasn't trying to recreate some one else's homemade Christmas, I wanted to create ours!
We decided on some truly unique, truly fabulous gifts for our children that are low cost and high appeal and partially or completely homemade! I won't buy one new ornament or decoration this year. Instead, Peanut, Bubby and I are going to make everything we decide we'd like out of around the house supplies! We're going to read a lot of books about Christmas and the reason we celebrate, have a simple birthday party for Jesus, and spend time together as a family. We'll eat food we love, make snowballs (please? A white Christmas pretty please?), drink hot chocolate and maybe even sing some carols. Our budget is still going to be in tact on December 26th and maybe my children won't feel like Christmas is over after opening their gifts. Because isn't the "spirit" of Christmas about more than running to the tree and opening presents? As exciting as that is, it's a momentary fix that quickly fades. Do you even remember what you got for Christmas last year or what you got your children? My greatest Christmas memories from childhood mostly don't include gifts (except- I do remember the year I got Michael Jackson's History album! I heart him!). What they do include is my Grandma's lap and her sweet potato pie and how she always smelled of sweet perfume. They include Meah and I finding our Christmas shoeboxes (another post on a Christmas tradition I will share with you later!) and the delicious cookies Grandma made rolled in powdered sugar. They include snowball fights with mom and dad and spending the whole day with the family with no other agenda. I'm taking Christmas back for my family this year. I'm bowing out of the stress and the spending and the worry if it is enough and the all the craziness.
I have never been more excited about Christmas.
Now, is it too early for Christmas music?
