The holidays are once again upon us and at an incredibly fast rate if I must say. While our plans for Thanksgiving are set with just our simple family and absolutely no traveling, I am still trying to figure the Christmas thing. We have also opted not to travel then either, at least not until the following weekend. Just staying home and again doing our simple family thing. However, there is the gift aspect that leaves me with a empty feeling. I think everyone understands the commercialism/materialism and everything and well when you have children it just makes it that much more noticible. I don't want Christmas to be this "What can I get out of it" type thing, but more of a memory making occasion. The kids are getting older and well it still doesn't make much difference to them what they end up with, however if we continue on the materialism road, it will eventually change. We are already doing the Operation Christmas Child .
Making 1 box for the age of our own children. We have done similar things in the past. Yet I still draw a blank for the kids themselves. If I had my wish, we would go to Ireland or the Mountains and just do Christmas simple, but in another place. I plan to do that one of these days, but until then, I stand at a point of utter cluelessness.
So far our traditions include... making Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve (how original I know), making a birthday cake on the big day, and the whole gift and dinner thing. But all that does is leave us with utterly full bellies and too much stuff to know what to do with. Kids never get to all the toys, so it's almost pointless. So I have sitting around racking my brain trying to come up with something, but I have no clue what I am even looking for. Less presents obviously, but in place of that, what? What would make it memorable? I need ideas. Something novel. Something different. Something besides baking. Maybe something that will make a difference to the kids this year.
Well obviously ideas are needed. And sorry I can't be more specific, just something to fill the holiday void.
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3 comments:
I feel the same way. We also do a "Jesse Tree". I'm always looking for meaningful things to do for Christmas. This year, we're going to to Advent candles.
We feel the same way. We've limited the gifts to 3 each, representing the 3 gifts that Jesus was offered on his birth. We make a note to read his birth story on Christmas Eve. It makes for nice converstion with the kids and they think it's cool to get 3 gifts like Jesus did. Also, these gifts are special to each kid so nothing gets forgotten about while unwrapping on Christmas morning. Now, Christmas time at the grandparents house, well that's another story, we are currently working on that one! We even thought about not doing Christmas for ourselves, but doing it for another family, which we have done in the past, only we did Christmas for ourselves too.
Hmm, I need to look into that Advent candles thing. Melissa, we did the Christmas for another family last year through our church. Our family adopted a family of 3 girls. It was neat and we actually got to meet the grandmother. I actually like to see a little bit of a family that was affected by us.
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