So I have to admit I am nervous to just give my girls 3 gifts this Christmas. I know that this is a first world problem and we are very fortunate to be able to lavishly give our children presents so bear with me as I share my honest concerns here.
As I prep each day for the 25 days of Christian Christmas activities the projects, little day adventures, and small gifts I have to admit that they do add up money wise. When Christmas day comes I don’t feel I can afford to get my kids a huge pile of pretty wrapped packages and I worry a little bit if this will take away from the “magic” of the season. As I think more about this and reflect my heart settles and I draw back to the truths I have been unfolding as I write this book, Once Upon a Nativity.
Materialism should not be what we are training our kids to find joy in as material things are fleeting and not what bring us true joy. However I still want my kids getting jazzed about Christmas morning and so here I am getting emotional in Target. Blame it on 25 plus years of Christmas morning conditioning and advertising and you can say this is changing me just as much as this is teaching them.
I can find hope in knowing that each day they are going to be cherishing what we do and enjoying it fully.
I can say goodbye to the mornings of Christmas when they typically rip presents open like little elves gobbling up candy, tossing wrapping paper until they are lost in a mound of chaos hunting for batteries and miniature screw drivers. The “me” of Christmas will hopefully dissolve a little bit and the more, more, more attitude changed.
I like that we will be celebrating with balloons, a birthday cake, and talking about how amazing it is that everything we are given is Gods. And of course I like how we are teaching our children life lessons that will hopefully give them a richer faith and a launching pad that teaches them to live out their convictions and beliefs.
Thanks for listening friends. This isn’t easy for me but I know it is the right choice for our family.
Anyone else making plans for Christmas morning that are different this year? Anyone else feel the pressure to buy more just to have more?
Very merrily,
Ashleigh