I Am Kind Of Grossed Out By Christmas This Year
I’ve been sitting here, starting at all the “Santa was here!” posts in my Facebook feed, and I have to be honest, the rampant consumerism is insane. I don’t understand it. I don’t understand how there can be so many presents underneath these trees. These are the same people who have talk about not being able to cover car payments, not having enough for vet bills, just not having enough all year long and there are HUNDREDS of presents under their trees.
What are we teaching our kids with this? Do we really want them to think that a good Christmas comes from piles and piles of presents? I just thought Christmas was more about family, seeing each other, breaking bread and spending time together.
I actually know people that are avoiding their family Christmas all together because they can’t afford the gift-tax it takes to get in the door.
We make Christmas lists that are pages long, complete with amazon links to the things we want. This is crazy! What happened to handmade presents and experiences? What about the gift of time? Is that even still a thing?
If we spend two days wrapping presents, what if we spent those days hanging out and playing games with our kids instead?
This year I got so busy buying everything for Christmas that I actually didn’t have time to put up my tree until the 20th. Ugh, maybe it’s not that I am grossed out with Christmas, maybe it’s that I am grossed out with the way I handled Christmas!
Well, this is my vow. Next year there won’t be piles on piles of presents under my tree. Next year I will get my tree up the day after Thaksgiving so we can enjoy it all month long. Next year is going to be about time with my loved ones and making memories instead of unwrapping a million presents and making piles of trash.
Next year, Christmas will be about the season. And not about the presents. At least for me.
We don’t ever overdo it on Christmas. Money is tight here, so I do make sure I get good deals on the things I that I do buy, but we never buy a lot. Plus, who wants spoiled kids? I don’t. I want kids that appreciate a homemade gift, gesture, etc.
I was so proud of how my son (14) handled Christmas this year. My “Christmas present” was 2 mammograms and a biopsy without insurance put on my dad’s credit card. So he knew we weren’t getting him much. Yet he still tried to tell my sister not to get him anything. And he told my MIL that what he wanted was for his cousins still young enough to believe in Santa to get more. This morning we slept in late, and we are having breakfast for dinner than opening the few little things we have. And it’s been so much better and less stressful than other years
I love this! Thank you! <3