I just posted these thoughts as a comment on a friend's blog (yes, really; hence the title!).
Then I thought, since I do this blog for my own journal-ing purposes I really ought to record my thoughts here. So I am.
"I don't recall ever having anything but meager Christmases growing up*. However, there were some more meager than others. I remember one year we had no money for anything, let alone a tree. Then my mom saw the neighbors trimming their (as luck would have it) pine tree. So she went and swiped a bunch of the branches from off the curb and tied them together into the most pathetic looking "Christmas Bush," as we dubbed it. Truly, it was sad. And yet, that is by far our most memorable Christmas, hands down.
Our family was never grand in our holiday celebrations. I don't think my mom had the time, now that I think back. But at Christmas we did have certain things that we did regardless, that had nothing to do with money or gifts or anything but the Christmas spirit itself -- acting out the nativity, caroling, making bread together, visiting rest homes -- stuff like that. And although now that I have my own family I try to make a big deal about holidays, b/c I just like to, I'm realizing it's more about creating the atmosphere of fun, togetherness and love that makes the excitement.
Sorry for the sermon. Not meant to be such. I think there are a whole lot of people this year feeling the pinch of the economy. You're right - it is depressing. For me, it's easiest if I put blinders on to what everyone else is doing and just concentrate on making things fun for my kids. After all, my kids would rather have me play Barbies with them for an hour than get another toy. Seriously.
One last thought --
last night our neighbors behind us had their house burn down. (That makes 4 houses in our neighborhood that have burnt in the time we've lived here. Eek!) Anyhow, it was a really good wake-up call as to how much we have that could so easily be lost."
*Just to clarify - I'm sure we had Christmases that were not meager. :) It's just that, ironically, those are not the memorable ones that stand out.
March 2023
2 months ago
6 comments:
I do know what you mean. :-) Our most memorable Christmases were the smaller ones, the simple ones. And the best Christmas ever was the first one without my dad - wherein we had absolutely nothing but each other. You're right about what's the most important, what our focus should be. It's too easy to get caught up in the mainstream/media-taught things of the season. Thanks for sharing!
We were just discussing this very thing. Thanks for the reminder and better perspective!
Isn't that what it is all about anyway, making happy memories with our family?
Merry Christmas! We miss you guys.
Slight adjustment to your story: The neighbors' pine tree had a HUGE branch that hung over our driveway right where we parked the car, and then we had to crawl under it when it was loaded down with snow. I got plenty tired of that and decided to fill a double mission with my little saw. I propped the branch in a basket among some largish rocks. Gary reminds me I wired a few smaller branches into it. Thus it was know as our "Christmas bush."
I like what was said on this blog about the silver lining of a struggling economy: www.christcenteredtraditions.blogspot.com
"We have heard many lamenting the fact that due to economic times, this will be a lean Christmas. Maybe there is a blessing hidden here. It does not cost any money to sit around the table and play a game with our children. And taking a walk on a clear winter's night, looking at the stars and talking about the special star that appeared in the heavens long ago does not cost anything either. Many of the ideas on this sight cost little or no money. Small and simple things like these are the stuff that memories are made of and that bring us closer to each other."
I've been analyzing how we spend the Christmas season for a long time, and if presents are the focus, they easily overshadow the real meaning of the holiday. Just like that "rock and sand in the jar" lesson, if you put the rocks in first (most important things) then the sand can fit in around the rocks. I agree with you that family togetherness and service are much more important than the material side of Christmas. :)
Great reminder.
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