Last night I woke up from a dead sleep feeling disgusted… with myself.
Brad and I did our Christmas shopping a few nights prior, and I had been feeling quite smug for finishing so early. It only takes one night, so I shouldn’t be so cocky. We do one gift from Santa (yes, we celebrate with Santa) and three gifts from us.
But we don’t really “need” anything.
We live simple. But not crazy simple (we aren’t that cool), our kids have more than they need and don’t really want a lot. Especially the younger ones with all the hand-me-downs.
We ended up just getting “whatever,” to meet the 4 gift quota.
That’s what got me.
Well two things actually…
1. We spent money that could be used toward people in need… or toward groceries or a new window in our home.
2. We spent money on things knowing that I would probably put them in goodwill within the month.
HOW WASTEFUL.
Disgusting.
Then, yesterday I had taken this picture of Cora Jane wearing an apron my Great Grandmother made me as a child.
The caption read: “I wonder if her great great grandmother ever thought the apron she made, from scraps, would become such a treasure! When we create, ladies, we do it for our great great grandchildren!”
I ended up returning the “whatever” gifts.
And it felt good.
I don’t want my kids to get filler gifts.
I don’t want them to only value expensive things either.
I want them to treasure the things they already have.
I want them to put significance toward things that have significance.
Like the apron.
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Amy says
My husband and I had a pretty passionate discussion about this just tonight. He was determined to get the kids “anything, just something”. My kids want for nothing. The house is already full of commerical toys (probably all made in China). The grandparents will dote on them with toys they do not need. I do not want to buy anything. I feel like the commercialism of Christmas is guilting me into buying SOMETHING. But how does that honor the season? What does that teach my children? That getting “stuff” is the best part of Christmas? That is not the lesson I want to teach them. Yet, I fear their disappointment if the Christmas “take” is not what they expected. I am still undecided what to do, and the hours are running short.
rachael says
Amen. I have been struggling with gift-giving for a few years. I keep asking all month, “Kids, whose birthday are we celebrating?? And how can we give HIM a gift?” We are doing a Compassion gift, since giving “to the least of these” is giving to Jesus. This year, we did a big kid Bible, one toy they’ve had their eye on for quite a while, and a craft they can spend Christmas day doing (since we don’t have visitors this year). Have you heard of the book Mini-Weapons of Mass Destruction? Such a fun book! Instructions on how to make (ie) a catapault using household items. I have been gathering supplies (TP tubes and such) as part of Jonas’ gift and I got the book on half.com.
rachael says
I’m glad you still “do Santa” too…. Iris knows and is playing along. Funny thing is, that’s the one gift I haven’t bought yet. I challenged them the other day to ask Santa to give their toy to a kid who really needs it instead of them, like a twist on Santa. Jonas, ever tenderhearted, teared up and said, “I’ll think about it, mom. That would be really good and really bad.” Could Santa give them a gift card to go out for froYo?? 🙂
I like to make them one handmade gift each year. Two years ago was capes. Last year was fleece tie-blankets. I was trying to learn to knit this year, but I don’t have it mastered. Where’s my grandma when I need her? (Oh wait, she didn’t know how to knit either.)
Miss you, sweet friend! Keep living for Jesus!
April says
I agree so much with this. I had such a hard time buying for my 1 year old. And I didn’t end up buying him anything because it would have been a different version of something we already have. So I went around the house, found some toys and plan to wrap those up for him!
April @ illistyle says
What a treasure that apron is and will be in the future. I am with you. I want my daughter to value our possessions and not get caught up in the consumerism. That’s why we are getting her 3 gifts: 1. Something she needs (snow jacket) 2. Something to read (Giving Tree) and 3. Something she wants (educational toy). I don’t want to go crazy. I don’t want to create that expectation for her either that she should expect a myriad of gifts each year.