Friday, November 28, 2008
Keeping it Simple this Christmas
I found this video over on Missy's blog. It is AWESOME! All morning I have been feeling that "itch" to get out there and do some shopping (impulse shopping) because I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet and there are "good deals" out there somewhere! Over the past year I have really tried to reduce my acquisition and consumption of "stuff" but my convictions were being put to the test today.
After watching this video I have renewed my resolve to keep it simple this year.
On Aimee's blog I found a great idea for simplifying the Christmas wish list for my family. The idea is to buy a few gifts for each person that focus on body, soul and spirit. For example, clothes would be for the body, one special gift that your child really wanted is for the soul, and a bible or inspirational book would be for the spirit. Then do a few stocking stuffers for fun.
I plan to try it this year. I think this idea will keep me focused and reduce impulse buying when I get that last minute Christmas panic! Last year I was so frustrated with myself because a few days before Christmas I suddenly felt that I hadn't done enough and my kids would be deprived! So I went out to the store that must not be named (sorry Joel, this is true confession time) and bought a bunch of junk! It was very silly!`
Now please don't misunderstand me, I am not a humbug, really! I love Christmas! The music, the lights, the movies, the traditions! I look forward to it every year. My desire is to not get caught up in the "machine" that tells me to buy my happiness. I want to keep my focus where it should be, on God and family, not on stuff.
You might have noticed that I am kicking off the holiday season with a new look for my blog and a Christmas music play list! I'm sorry if the music annoys anyone! I know that some people have strong feelings about music on blogs. My blog has become a place where I like to hang out and relax and music is a big part of that for me. So I hope you enjoy it too but if you don't, just remember to push pause on the play list. ;0)
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6 comments:
I think the blog you are referring to is Aimee's "Living, Learning, and Loving Simply" blog. We're going more simple this year too. I have certainly always striven for that, but the economy is forcing our hand a bit more this year. My children know and understand the trials that our family and country have faced this year and they are understanding of this. For this I am grateful and we are all still very much looking forward to Christmas!
Thanks Mrs. Pivec! It was really bugging me that I couldn't remember.
My family had some really lean years growing up and as a kid I was always longing for things I couldn't have. The challenge for me today is to not project that onto my kids. Part of me feels this urgency to give them all the things I lacked but I have found that it doesn't breed contentment but quite the opposite. I'm glad that I am learning this lesson now while my children are very young rather than to have to break very bad habits and attitudes later on. I have to thank so many people in the blog world for inspiring me to slow down, simplify and become less materialistic.
Awwww...I popped over to your blog this morning and saw that you are trying our Christmas gift-giving tradtion :) I hope you enjoy it! :) It has really helped me keep our spending focused over the years, because, like you, I freak out every year a few days before Christmas and overspend just so there looks like a lot of stuff and everyone feels loved, blah blah blah. This keeps my list streamlined and the stocking is always full of fun things which is the kids' favorite part anyway!
I am trying to focus more on traditions this year b/c when I look back on all the Christmases of my life, it's the simple traditions that I remember and never the gifts.
Thanks for the reminder. I want to make Christmas as meaningful as possible this year.
I'm going to leave your blog open on my laptop for awhile so I can listen to your playlist. : )
good video.
We use a similar plan for Christmas with our kids. 4 for Christmas=1 want, 1 need, 1 practical and 1 spiritual. For the spiritual gift this year the kids decided to "buy" chickens for a family through Samaritans Purse.
We do well with our family, but I still have a hard time with the extended family. Let's just say we aren't all on the same page! :)
Ha! I found this video on Like Merchant Ships, and posted it at my blog too! Pretty powerful, eh?
Hope you're having a nice holiday season. We're working hard to get Ben's birthday and Christmas stuff all organized and taken care of. We're headed to WI this year for the holiday, so it makes it that much more complicated. Worth it though, to be at my parents' house :)
Hope everyone is happy and healthy by you.
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