I remembered today why I don't like Christmas. Materialism. Consumerism. Pressure. All the things Christmas wasn't supposed to be about. Almost Jewish or not, I still celebrate the gift giving frenzy with my family. But it's not always joyous; as kids get older they want more expensive stuff-electronic toys (iPods, phones, laptops, leather jackets....) I have no problem spoiling my family for the holiday, I just haven't the means to do so.
It's not just my family I want to spoil and buy gifts for, but relatives and friends as well. Just know that to everyone who lives outside of my house, I've bought you gifts in my heart.
But we also have this overwhelming push to make someone else's holiday special. Salvation Army ringing bells for change outside of every department store on earth; Toys for Tots ads on billboards and on tv; Angel Yrees, collection boxes for tots, Clark Howard's yearly toy drives at Wal Marts across the Metro Atlanta area--give give give!!!
If only I had the means, the way; but we barely make it month to month as it is. We support these projects as often as we can, for my kids like to give to others, too. I want to do more, but even cutting corners and giving up something to have that extra cash isn't always enough. We celebrate Christmas lite, even reducing ourselves to the Charlie Brown, mini tree, more because of rowdy kittens than anything. The thought of not having to drag out a tree and ten boxes of decorations thrills me though. I hate to see a big tree sit there with little under it when u would prefer presents to spill out all over the floor-gifts for family, friends, and strangers.
I will try, this year, to not be sad or grinchy about the holiday. I just wish, so, so much, that Christmas was celebrated by true Christians, for the intended purpose of celebrating the birth of their saviour. Better yet, since Jesus likely was not born in our December, let's go back deeper into our history and celebrate winter solstice with warmth, cheer, food and friends, and forget all of this materialistic bullshit.
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