I'll tell you my naughty little secret....shhhh. This is not my favorite holiday. A lover of a simple life, all of the hype and pressure and busyness of the season is a bit much for a homebody like me.
Plus, it drives me slightly batty that we commercialize the birth of our Savior and make it a reason to buy each other stuff. (Did I mention the simple life I love involves very little shopping? It does. Have you ever shopped with 7 children in tow? No? You're not missing much. Except for lots and lots of deep breathing and repetitive, empty threatening because they know you won't really leave the store without making your purchases, now will you? Not to mention the look you will receive from curious bystanders. You know the look. The one that tells you that you are either 1) a saint or 2) a lunatic. Either one makes me slightly uncomfortable, so I just try to smile between deep breaths. Although #2 is clearly closer to reality.)
I ask myself, "Self, isn't the arrival of our Messiah on earth enough to celebrate? Do we shower one another with material possessions (because we are so needy for more!) and pretend like it's all about Jesus quipping 'don't for get the reason for the season' and all that? Because, with all that Santa flying around, if we're not careful, we may start to actually believe Christmas is about the jolly old fella bringing bags of loot to nice children with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads!"
So, we remind each other. This holiday is about the most pivotal individual in all of history. Our Lord and Savior who came to earth as a baby born in the most humble circumstances, grew into a man, fulfilled the law, lived a sinless life himself but paid the price for our transgressions, died an excruciating death on the cross, and miraculously rose again, whereby we receive the opportunity to live eternally with God.
As if such an event should ever need compete with a big guy in a red suit or packages under a tree in our living rooms.
Maybe one year our family will forego presents altogether and simply celebrate this amazing, undeserved, almost unfathomable, gift we have already been given.
Now that would be festive!
In the mean time, this is what we do for the kids:
1 gift
1 box of sugary cereal wrapped and placed under the tree
A few small stocking stuffers
They are as excited about the cereal as anything else. A Christmas morning breakfast of Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, Fruity Pebbles, or Cookie Crisp is one even Santa himself would surely approve.
Disclaimer: this is just my opinion at this time.
Which means very little.
And is subject to change.
And in the eyes of some positions me squarely in category #2....
5 comments:
OK, my friend had this on her blog and I thought you would get a kick out of it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaD8xat6VDw&feature=player_embedded
Each year I feel more and more inspired to give up the getting altogether and only give. I think next year, we just might do that.
Love the cereal under the tree. If we didn't have so many food issues I'd be getting Frankenberry, the Count and Booberry!
i love your opinion! i think you're BOTH a saint and a lunatic ;-)
Sherri, ha! Thanks for passing that along. Funny stuff. :)
Sherri, I was on your blog but can not find your e mail address on it. If you would like to get together, please shoot me a message - tishadeutsch @ gmail . com
:)
i love the common disclaimer these days: "and this opinion could and is likely to change at some point."
Love that.
Story of my life too right now. :-)
Post a Comment