by Leigh
From the title of my post you might think I'm being a bit selfish...talking about getting myself a gift for Christmas. You're probably saying to yourself, now....come on Leigh....everyone knows that Christmas is about giving to others and here you are talking about yourself.
But hold on....just go with me on this. Every year beginning with Thanksgiving we become bombarded by stuff....television ads for Black Friday showing the latest deal on the biggest TV you can buy....the bigger the better.....more...More....MORE! Then there's the IT toy that every kid wants and no parent can find. The calendar becomes filled up with holiday parties every weekend.
Ugh...it's just all too much!
I've decided that instead of stressing out about the holidays, I would rather give myself the gift of time. And in giving myself the gift of time I give my loved ones the gift of experience rather than material things. I don't want to stand in line for the latest and greatest craze that all the kids just have to have when instead I could be snuggled up with my kids watching Christmas movies. The one thing we all have to give is ourselves. We can give our time and attention...our love and affection. We can start by having real conversations about real things and the best conversations happen when we get outdoors. No electronic distractions....just us together with nature.
I am giving myself permission to not feel guilty about avoiding the Christmas Craze this year. My list is starting to look a little different than most years as a result of this. Instead of feeling overwhelmed this holiday season I'm looking forward to making more memories with my family and friends. I can't wait to make my grandfather's homemade fudge with my sister and our kids. We will tell stories about this annual tradition. And when my dad sits down with my grandfather's copper bottom pot and begins to beat the fudge I will be taken back to my childhood as my dad holds the spoon up to see if it's the right consistency...I will watch my daughter jump at the chance to put her finger through the fudge just to be sure it tastes right like my sister and I did so many years ago. This year at the top of my wish list is the gift of togetherness.
“The only people who truly know your story,
are the ones who help you write it.” – Unknown
7 comments:
This is a wonderful gift - to yourself and the people you love. It's true, so true. We are too caught up in the "more, bigger, brighter, new and improved" mentality that we lose sight of what really counts. Our family and friends, showering one another with our time and our love is where our hearts should be.
There are fewer gifts under our tree this year on purpose. A Facebook friend shared this gift giving guide and I decided to embrace it. 1 thing they want; 1 thing they need; 1 thing to wear; 1 thing to read. I've pretty much stuck to it and it feels right. Not only was shopping and wrapping simplified, leaving me less stress, I also have the peace of sharing what's important instead of what's glitzy.
Great post, Leigh, and lots to think about!
Sounds like a perfect Christmas to me.
Well you know this minimalist is cheering from her small corner of the world...
Oh, yes, you are so right! The gift of time and togetherness is what it's all about! When I find myself focusing on having the house just perfect, finding the perfect gifts, making the perfect food, I am reminded of a comment from our friend Claudia Wrightson on one of my Christmas posts several years ago: “Being the perfect Christmas mom for tooo many years, I realized that my "perfect" decorations were not what they remembered or loved. It was the little quiet moments of the season. :) Once I heard one of my neighbors kids say... "yeah, my mom is kind of insane around Christmas... its scary." I was sooo thankful for that little voice of wisdom. I changed a lot of how I proceeded with the holiday after that.” And that thought is always with me several years later. It's not about perfect. It's about joy. And what brings the most joy is sharing time and making memories. Thanks for this reminder, Leigh. <3
Yes Leigh, you've got the answer. Sounds like the perfect Christmas season to me.
This sounds like a wonderful Christmas for you and your family. We've simplified our Christmas giving the last two years and it's so much better than the stressful Christmas shopping in years past.
I am so totally with you Leigh. This is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves and our loved ones. xoxo
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