...in good Christmas=lots of gifts.
We have fewer gifts under our tree this year than we have probably had since our pre-baby years. And it feels so good to not feel the discomfort of excess when I sit in my family room. It's a hard pill to swallow for the Mr., he's of the school of buy buy buy and the day itself is defined by how long it takes to open gifts. But even he is feeling some pleasure in not be flat broke with overdue bills staring us in the face. We chose larger items to give one another which required some planning and purchasing in late November so those multiple boxes became just a few small presents.
Daboyz just don't need anything. Isn't that a wonderful thing? They literally can't think of anything they need and not much that they want. Just a few gifts for them too, and small stockings with candy & a gift card or two.
The Family decided to draw names several years ago. No more shopping, buying, wrapping and hauling packages for six or ten people in addition to our four. Fifty dollars and some real effort to find something special and you are done.
Every year right around this time I start re-reading the Little House books, every year since 1976. They are great as cold weather sets in because it reminds me of how much I have during the holiday instead of how much I might believe I lack. Families in those days were lining their work boots with news papers against the cold, eating one biscuit with watered down tea for dinner and huddled around a fire to sleep while blizzards howled. Did you know that during the winter described in "The Long Winter", records document average temperatures in the Dakota Territory at -30 degrees? Can you imagine. We have yet to dip into single digits inside of our heated home with insulated windows and fireplaces and feel that the hard winter is upon us.
So when my kids can't think of a Christmas wish list, my heart swells with thankfulness. We will open our few gifts and enjoy our wonderful dinner with people we love and be as aware as we are capable of God's protection.
2 comments:
I started reading the Little House series about 3 - 4 months ago or so.And just finished "The Long Winter" boy it does give you a new appreciation for what you have and your whole life - that is for sure.
Have a Merry Christmas,
Lisa :O)
How fun to find someone else who also rereads the Little House books each year (though I've missed the occasional year now and then, I confess). The Long Winter is my second favorite--Farmer Boy is the one I love most and you should have seen how giddy I was both the times I visited the Wilder homestead outside of Malone!
Anyway, our Christmas is even smaller than yours (no tree and not one gift wrapped yet) but it feels great. Our smallest Christmas yet gift-and-decor-wise, but I'm thinking even smaller next year! heh.... Merry Christmas to you and your family, Sara, and thanks for all your encouraging comments at my blog and your thoughtful posts here this past year. Blessings, Debra
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