Here we go again. Another beautiful holiday concept ruined by Americans. Whoops, greedy Americans. At our household we are trying to focus more on what the interpretation of the holiday is supposed to be. Whether or not you are Christian, the Christmas holiday should be something fun and personal to you. If that means spending exorbitant amounts of money so your family can keep up a certain image or your kids can maintain a social standing or you just dont want someone thinking you were cheap/cant provide, well, I feel sorry for you. I suppose shopping could be fun and personal, but I havent figured out how yet. At least not in the manner that say, buying a new tv or car that you saved for and can now buy knowing it is wholly yours, can be.
Lets back up a moment. We used to give in and buy anything and everything that the kids desired, within reason. We didnt go for high-dollar stuff like dirt bikes, $400 game systems or plasma/photon laser cannons. We did make sure they had many of the trendy smaller to medium items that came with each age group they were in. God help us, we even got into the pokemon craze.
Decorating has always been a favorite of ours too. There's something about the bright lights framing windows and eaves, the tree decked out with ornaments both bought, gifted and made and various swag about the house. It somehow makes the time more special. I suppose it is because it is an all-out effort of family co-operation and it is also something that you know is only done at that time of the year. Unless you're Roz DeWitt and it goes up between Halloween and Thanksgiving and doesnt come down until February because you cant bear to bare your walls again for another 10 months. :)
Back to the current: We finally figured out that it didnt matter what anyone else thinks about us or what we do. Everyone has a twinge now and then about what someone might think, but as a general rule, we just want to be us, do what we think is right and people that really like us for us will still be there. So, we have severely pared down what we actually buy for the holiday. We decorate, we get some staples(new clothes and kicks for the kiddies) and everyone gets one thing they really want, again, within reason. Our favorite thing to do is the dinner on Christmas day. We invite friends and family and we all gather around the groaning board to do pretty much the same thing as everyone does during Thanksgiving. Little kids get gifts, the rest of us just socialize and this year we will drink as much of our homemade booze as time will allow.
We have had laughs and curses talking about people that cannot stay away on the infamous "Black Friday" sales event. What on Earth possesses people to want to stand in long lines, jostle for position and max out credit cards or bank accounts so they can feel better about themselves? "I saved 30 percent on a solar-powered wenus scratcher!"(elbow skin, pervs) I suppose on the surface it makes them feel good, but how deep does it really go? Are you fulfilling an emotional need? Did you have issues with your past? Are you just so spoiled and needy that you can only feel better if you have an excuse to buy things? I just dont know. We have an unwritten rule that if we can afford something that someone wants and we agree on it, we get it anytime during the year, not just at Christmas. I cant really bash on folks for wanting to buy things that look so attractive because of slick ads and placements. We still have a powerful country and although the economy is sagging, we still have more opportunity to own life's little(and big) joys. Some people have to worry about stupid things like eating and staying in a place that shelters them from the weather and predators. If you have it, what the heck. If you have to rob peter to pay paul or max out a credit card to get that new thingamabob, I can only say to you: Good Luck.
This time of the year should be about remembering the best parts of you and yours. You dont have to have or spend a lot of money to have a good time and you dont have to buy something you cant afford(now or in the long run) to make sure someone else doesnt think less of you. Christmas was supposed to be a celebration of hope and salvation, dont let it become perverted and destroyed because a bunch of big corporations want you to keep up with the latest trends. Make your kids and family happy in other ways. Maybe a harkening to simpler ways and times would bring back the American ideals that made us what we were and could be again. Most of you dont want to be perceived as spoiled, rude Americans on the world stage. We can live without the Big Business mentality. Crash them, make the move back to the Mom and Pop stores that were such a buzz word a few months ago. Simplify your lives, actually pay attention to your family and do things that are fulfilling to all of you. There is a time and a place for technology, I've said it before. I have over-simplified again. There has to be a balance to what we have in our society and what we do with it and for it.
I want to wish you all the best this season and I really hope that you all find what you are looking for. Personally, I'm looking for a new re-loader or at least some stuff for my old truck....ehhh, it'll wait until the first of the year. I'd settle for a gutfull of pineapple covered ham and half bottle of that grape wine that's aging in the cupboard.....Happy Holidays Everyone!!!!
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