It's our Christmas wish, a simple Christmas.
Then again, it was our attempt last year too. Except we blew it by running out, last minute, to buy a real live, exhaust-fumes-in-the living-room motorcycle for our then THREEyr old. What were we thinking? It also went back to the "motorcylce store" where it sits to this day, waiting for now FOURyr old to actually grow into the thing.
But with health issues this past year, we have been forced to get smart about such things. Here are a few ways we've tried to keep our Christmas simple, stoopid ... for real, this year:
. baking for teachers' gifts {still felt pressure to contribute to group-gift-pool but didn't bow this time!}
. practical, cool t-shirts for all neices/nephews {which parents can appreciate}with kid-friendly candy instead of ribbon
. shared-experience gift for mom: jazzy Christmas concert we both enjoyed and another memory with my mommy!
. "tast of Rossland" gifts for long-distance in-laws: locally brewed coffee and confectionaries
. skill-building gifts for kids: paints & eisle, snow-board
And we're actually staying put this year, no travelling nor accepting offers for dinners on Christmas day. This said, I recognize our ridiculous blessing that we should have so much loving family to potentially visit and new friends to potentially dine with. But it takes some serious discipline, I'm learning, to simplify the holidays. We've done a pretty stellar job simplifying life, these past 3yrs of Rossland-living. Much of it by proxy. Yet the holidays has proven more difficult still. I think it's the absolute pinnacle of social pressures, expectations, and even religion that we try to work against in our home. We are pursuing authentic relationship with a loving God and genuine sharing of our lives with others. I have not always been so good at this! I am a work in progress.
What kind of Christmas do you want to create for your family? How is your family simplifying this year? Share your ideas for keeping Christmas simple, stoopid, below...
