Christmas Lists

Photo by gazzat via Flickr (creative commons)
Photo by gazzat via Flickr (creative commons)

It is December 12th.

Less than two weeks until Christmas and I don’t think a single gift has been purchased. Not a little one, not a big one.

It’s not that the kids don’t have lists… it’s that Kristen and I are avoiding their lists.

A couple years ago we decided we wanted Christmas to be about Jesus and not gift giving so we toned the whole thing down. So now we have told the kids they will get 1 big gift and a couple small gifts. But somehow that always mushrooms at the end and they end up getting a lot of little things.

In the past I’ve had an issue with Christmas. Consumerism. Santa Claus. Baby Jesus. You know, the normal.

This year I just don’t feel like it. Maybe its the weather here in San Diego and maybe it’s life circumstances? But the thought of heading to the mall and buying things my kids really don’t need with money I really don’t want to spend… it’s just not as appealing as it was last year.

I know that is anti-American consumerism of me to say. But I really just want to skip gift giving in 2009.

And yet, we will do it for the children.

Where are my car keys? The mall opens in 15 minutes.


Posted

in

by

Comments

One response to “Christmas Lists”

  1. renee altson Avatar

    yes, this is our struggle, as well. for us in particular, it is our financial circumstances that cause us to really re-evaluate our gift-giving and what it means. as a result, we’re getting our developmentally delayed daughter a few things, and *making* everything else. they are very cool home-made gifts, and i can hardly wait to share them.

    i’ve always been a bit quirky and revolutionary, so i don’t feel anti-American consumeratory in the least. and in a lot of ways, i actually think what i’m doing still requires a bit of purchase (things to use to make the home-made presents), but in the end is much much more personal.

Leave a Reply