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Posted by Ash on December 20th, 2007 in Favorite Things

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I just read a great blog post over at Superwoman Does Not Live Here. The post posed the question, “whatever happened to Christmas?” Why is this time of the year a time that throws so many into deep depression and despair? Shouldn’t it be a time of celebrating and joy? Isn’t that what we are told and brought up to believe?

I know I have had many past holiday’s where I was not jolly, or joyous and I couldn’t wait for it to be over with.

We are put under so much pressure commercially to buy, buy, buy. Will the gift be good enough? Will the recipient really like it? Can we afford this?

Two things happened for me this year which has really helped me feel better and to be joyous…well, actually three things.

First, I got to finally watch the movie “The Polar Express”. I bought this book for my kids when it was first released and loved it. But, when the movie came out, the night my kids and I went to see it, the theater had closed. But this year, I caught it on TV and watched it several times. Even though I knew what the story was about, watching the movie made something click inside me.

Playfulness. Seeing life as a child does, for a few weeks out of every year. Celebrating innocence, play, joy and honoring who we are and what we have.

In the past I had been so bogged down by the stress of trying to do it all and buy it all that I was no where near “childlike”!!

At the end of that movie, I made a vow to myself…this season I was going to play and enjoy!

Secondly, my sweet hubby decided that this year we should buy, for the kids, gifts that were long lasting. My kids are young 20’s, adults and on their own. But since they are just starting out, they had on their lists the things that they needed. I am so practical that I like lists of things “needed”.

When hubby wanted to not necessarily buy what was on their list, I buckled…but their lists are so practical, they need these things!

Then I saw his wisdom (and I’m wording this carefully since I don’t know if my kids might read this!) His ideas were items that my kids could carry throughout their entire lives. An item of quality that (hopefully) expressed a gift they possessed. An item that might become a lifelong treasure.

Thirdly, a decision was made by extended family to not buy gifts for one another, but for each family to give monetarily what they could and all of that would go to the charity of choice by the family matriarch. No sweating out what to get and how much it will cost and who to buy for, etc. Just give what you can and it all goes to something very worthwhile.

This year, I am looking forward to my kids being home, to good food, playing games, laughing, going to see some movies…the little things that we love doing together. In doing these things, we celebrate one another. We get to enjoy life and we can step aside and be really grateful for what we have.

Play. Create some new wonderful memories this season.

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