Ive been asked by a few friends to post another blog, which
excites me, humbles me, and scares me all at the same time =) Its so refreshing
to blog...I grow ever SO tired of Facebook. So, here goes, for those who enjoy
my rambling and thinking aloud =)
I realized yesterday
that today would mark 5 months until Christmas!!!! HOW EXCITING!!!
"Exciting???!!! Are you mad?!" you may say, but I look forward to
that time of year. I wish it were 2 weeks away! I always feel a sense of peace
and safety in December, as though the world has turned nostalgic, and we are
back in the 1950's, where everyone loves, gives, sacrifices, and crime is
practically obsolete. Naive? Absolutely. I don't deny it. But I truly feel a
peace on Earth the few weeks leading up to Christmas that I don't feel any other
time of the year. I trust people more. I know it sounds weird...can anyone
relate??? I'm sure there's a statistic somewhere out there that shows the
national crime rate, for robbery, is up on Christmas Eve...blah, blah....for me,
I will just continue believing that all those Grinchs' hearts are growing
daily. So back to Christmas being 5 months away. Why do Americans, as a whole,
dread this holiday so much? Why cant we look at it as a week to relax with our
families, eat some home cooked food, and see much missed relatives? Ill tell you my opinion, the answer: we give
too much. "But Christmas is a season for giving!" Maybe...but
shouldn't we give everyday? I'm not speaking of handing out the newest game
console, or UGG(ly) boots, or toys,
Toys, TOYS(!!!). We should give of our time, our love, our kindness, our generosity,
our money. Nothing annoys me more than to hear a Christian woman complain about
the fast approaching Christmas season with self-induced agony & annoyance
in her voice. Really? I just want to say, "Oh, I'm so sorry that your
American gaze has distracted you from celebrating Christ' birth and turned you
into a Black Friday snatchy-grabbing-mine!-mine! Monster who feels the need to
keep up with what her neighbors are buying their kids." Christian or not,
do you really want Christmas to be an annual materialistic holiday in your
house???? It is your freedom of religion/from religion to choose how you
celebrate it, but surely no one wants their kids to have a sense of entitlement
every December 25th, and act as though you OWE it to them to max out your
credit card. Who started this? Yes, the wisemen gave Jesus gifts, but who
thought "Hey, lets keep this thing going!"? Don't get me wrong, I'm not
saying that giving/getting presents is wrong. I LOVE to give gifts!!!! I love
to watch the recipient's face light up as the open up their gift (that Ive
probably told them all about, because I'm horrible at surprises). I love the
feeling of knowing that I put down that necklace for myself, to buy someone
else a special something. Those are good feeling. Right feelings (Oh, and I
like getting gifts too--no saint here). If you start to feel stressed over your
Christmas shopping then you're doing too much. Period. You should never feel taxed,
stressed, or begrudged about giving. Ever. If you feel that way (especially
now, 5 months before Christmas!), then I propose an examination...maybe
two...First, examine your Christmas list--do you really need to buy your 2nd
cousin's, fiance's, baby sister's new puppy a present? Simply put, NO. Our
Christmas list includes: Enzlie, both sets of parents, a child/children in need
& Granny. That's it. Sometimes we buy each other a little something,
sometimes not. It's a rare Christmas when we buy for cousins, nieces/nephews or
siblings. Its simply not in the budget and I refuse to feel overwhelmed and
guilted-stricken to bestow a gift upon someone. If I cant give it with the right
intentions, then I'm not giving it. That's not harsh, its simply how we CHOOSE
to celebrate Christmas in our home. Luckily, mine & Tim's families are much
more supportive of us buying a child-in-need a gift than giving one to their
kids, who aren't needy. Maybe your family doesn't operate that way. Perhaps you
have to begrudgingly give a gift..or 20...every year to 'keep the peace.'
Here's where we take that second examination--examine your heart, and there you
will find your reasons for exhausting yourself every year. What is your motive
behind each gift? Is 'keeping peace' weightier than paying 29.75% interest for
a solid 12 months before maxing out that credit card again? Is it really worth
it? Why? Why, have we allowed Christmas to become a sales pitch? Marketing
scam? A dreaded Holiday? What's Christmas to you? To your family? Again I will
ask, what are you teaching your children? How do they view your busy-ness, your
stress level, your obsession with perfection, your integrity, your views on
giving and generosity? Twenty years from now do you want them frazzled and
frayed each year-end, like they see you? Teach them now the virtue of giving.
The joy of Giving is really a gift in itself. For every toy, game, article of
clothing your kiddos pick out have them also pick one out for a needy class
mate (and give it anonymously), or a child on the angel tree/Salvation Army
tree. Our kids (MINE included!!!) get SO much throughout the year, why not make
Christmas a time to give to those that truly need it, not those that expect it,
or demand it. Maybe you could propose the idea that everyone's kids play dirty
Santa together? A new extended-family tradition, eh? =) The way we response to
the world's hustle and bustle is how our children will respond to it. Same goes
for Black Friday shopping. I always loved it as a kid, and this past year was
my LAST. I nearly was trampled over a set of 500 thread count sheets. I never
pushed or shoved...that was the 'problem.' Ladies seriously have to leave their
morals, integrity and standards out in the cold parking lot, in order to get
everything that they 'have to have.' I get disgusted thinking about it. Is that
Christ like? To barge, and push and yell and cat fight? Or, for the
non-Christians, is that proper and right conduct, and is it socially
acceptable? Its preposterous. Such a spirit of Greed...I urge you, save yourself the spike of adrenaline and cortisol and simply stay home. You can always shop online, and then meet up with the gals at Cracker
Barrel afterwards =)
So in all this....HAPPY 5 MONTHS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!
