Christmas Spending
I have been dragging my feet with Christmas shopping this year. I don't want to enter into frenzied (or un-frenzied, for that matter) shopping. I have been slowly and deliberately choosing gifts that will bring delight to the recipient.
But I am really having a hard time as I review my girls' Christmas lists. They are pretty long and have some pretty expensive items on them. Images of people who don't have food or clean water keep invading my thoughts. On those lines I learned about a web site that hasn't made this thought process any easier. Go to www.adventconspiracy.org. Watch the video. I know I was provoked. Basically, it tells us we spend 450 billion dollars each year on gifts, and note that it would only require 10 million dollars to supply those who need it with clean water. Amazing.
I have to admit my philosophy has changed over the years related to gift giving. I love to honor requests, but I prefer delightful surprises, or a treasure that is so unique, or so clearly has someone's name written all over it that I can't resist. For far too many years I carried on my mother's gift giving traditions, which included sale and clearnace items with little thought or consideration to whether it was really something the person wanted or not. Or if I responded to an item on the list, that was it. It probably won't come as a surprise that I was a proficient re-gifter and hung out in the clearance sections of stores...But now I search for meaning and delight and believe strongly in the gift of self.
So I am not excited about venturing into stores over the next few days. It just seems so unnecessary and anticlimactic (to my way of thinking, my girls will NOT agree). But I will do some shopping tomorrow. I have the perfect idea for Howie, but technology is once again giving me fits. All I need to do is send a photo on my computer to CVS and the page won't load... It is probably the last day I will really have a chunk of time to ponder, contemplate and not respond to impulse or whim. I am going to spend the day with my writing friend Connie.
The rest of the week is full; and I don't want to race through my days at breakneck speed. I want to have time to admire beautiful trees. Strike up conversations and simply be aware of those around me. I am working three days and then wind down the week with a radio interview and Christmas party with Nicole. And then Matt will be home, he has surgery next week, and then the girls are off for two weeks and I just want to be. I want to enjoy my time with them (because relationships matter) and not be crazy and stressed.
But I am really having a hard time as I review my girls' Christmas lists. They are pretty long and have some pretty expensive items on them. Images of people who don't have food or clean water keep invading my thoughts. On those lines I learned about a web site that hasn't made this thought process any easier. Go to www.adventconspiracy.org. Watch the video. I know I was provoked. Basically, it tells us we spend 450 billion dollars each year on gifts, and note that it would only require 10 million dollars to supply those who need it with clean water. Amazing.
I have to admit my philosophy has changed over the years related to gift giving. I love to honor requests, but I prefer delightful surprises, or a treasure that is so unique, or so clearly has someone's name written all over it that I can't resist. For far too many years I carried on my mother's gift giving traditions, which included sale and clearnace items with little thought or consideration to whether it was really something the person wanted or not. Or if I responded to an item on the list, that was it. It probably won't come as a surprise that I was a proficient re-gifter and hung out in the clearance sections of stores...But now I search for meaning and delight and believe strongly in the gift of self.
So I am not excited about venturing into stores over the next few days. It just seems so unnecessary and anticlimactic (to my way of thinking, my girls will NOT agree). But I will do some shopping tomorrow. I have the perfect idea for Howie, but technology is once again giving me fits. All I need to do is send a photo on my computer to CVS and the page won't load... It is probably the last day I will really have a chunk of time to ponder, contemplate and not respond to impulse or whim. I am going to spend the day with my writing friend Connie.
The rest of the week is full; and I don't want to race through my days at breakneck speed. I want to have time to admire beautiful trees. Strike up conversations and simply be aware of those around me. I am working three days and then wind down the week with a radio interview and Christmas party with Nicole. And then Matt will be home, he has surgery next week, and then the girls are off for two weeks and I just want to be. I want to enjoy my time with them (because relationships matter) and not be crazy and stressed.
Labels: Christmas lists, CHristmas shopping, gift giving, perfect gift
posted by www.kathypride.com at
10:16 PM
2 Comments:
Hi Kathy,
I also like to give the perfect gift for someone, the one that delights them! With 6 kids, I never could give them a lot, even if I wanted to. We made the choice to raise them without TV, and that helped so much, because they didn't know what they were supposed to want!It really is great not seeing ads! They often asked for one item because of this. Well, my hubby suggested early on, why don't we give them 3 gifts, since that is what Jesus got? I really liked it, but if I had a few more, I just combined it into 3 packages(still trying not to go overboard). They get some things in their stockings, too. My little one (I know, she's 9, tall, and lanky...but my BABY!), still (this year, anyway) gets one extra gift from santa. It is usually something delightful (like the special baby doll she wanted 2 years ago, when she has inherited a million from her sisters!). Anyway, this system works for us, and helps us not buy into the materialism. We also only spend $50 per child, which does add up, but when I hear what my low income LPN students spend on their kids, I shudder! Blessings to you, enjoy the week, take time for YOU. If you want to come over with the girls during the 2 weeks off, give me a call! I'll be praying for Matt's surgery.
Love ya!
Ahh...that was too much fun today. I savored the memories on my way home and realized just how starved I've been for authentic friendships!
We did manage to get in a "little" shopping (didn't we?). Thank you for making and taking the time to give the gift of yourself.
Until our next adventure...
HUGS!
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