Dear readers,
It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of the holiday season. Last minute gift shopping can lead to spending more than you wanted and feeling like you did not find the “perfect” gift. Wendy Thomas from Simple Thrift shares a great post with us today about slowing down and how keeping the holidays simple can reinvigorate and inspire you.
Simplifying the Holidays
It’s time to take the crazy out of Christmas and with six kids, that’s not an easy thing to do.
It’s time to turn the focus from getting, getting, getting, back to what the seasonal holidays are really all about: family, friends, and celebration.
There are a few things that made me absolutely put the breaks on Christmas this year. Cash is tight for everyone and it just seems irresponsible for anyone to frivolously spend money on things like dolls that look like Barbie-vampires. The other weekend, when looking through the store wish list catalogs, I was floored by the prices. Toys for little ones averaged around 40 dollars a piece. How on earth can anyone afford that? (and to be perfectly honest, do the youngest of our children really need all that stuff?)
Another reason for stopping the craziness is, believe it or not, Occupy Wall Street. Say what you will about the protests but the message to buy from local businesses instead of from the larger companies makes an awful lot of sense. By buying local, we keep our community strong.
I recently sat down with my kids and told them that Christmas was going to be a little different this year. We’re going to shop locally, we’re going to buy things at thrift and consignment stores, we’re going to make some of our gifts, bake cookies and cakes, spend time with each other, but above all, we are going to have fun and create memories.
It doesn’t mean that my kids are not going to get gifts, I love the anticipation of gifts as much as the next person, it’s just that this year, we’re going to put a little more thought into what we give each other. A mug from Goodwill that has the perfect saying for my son at college is more heartfelt than one that doesn’t but is wrapped up in a new box. Thought before purchase is my holiday motto going forward.
This Christmas, we’re going to skip the mad-rush to buy, buy, buy and instead we’re going to spend time with each other catching up on what we may have missed. Maybe we’ll play a game or two, and while we’re doing this, I’ll take out the gingerbread fresh from the oven and pass around the hot chocolate.
