A few years ago, my entire family sat down together, my sister, her fiance, my parents, my dh, and I, and had a big discussion about the holidays. We all agreed that it had become too extravagant and we were all spending way too much time and way too much money and getting way too frenzied. We had forgotten what really mattered, spending time with friends and family. We agreed that the important thing was each other and not what we bought. So we set limits on presents and increased the amount of time together.
This will be the third Christmas since we talked about it and they have gotten so much better!! I feel less stressed and so does the rest of the family. I seriously pared down my list of people to buy presents for and write cards to. Now I do what matters. I get more time for me, my friends, and my family. We also seriously pared down the holiday feast. Now we eat what we want. This year we are having tamales and chili for Christmas Day dinner. Christmas Eve dinner is sandwiches and chips. We will then be having desert with friends and extended family on Christmas Eve.
So after all of that, the holidays are for me a spiritual, sort of traditional (my traditions anyway), family thing. I try to make the people in my life more imprtant than the commercialism. It makes me and them feel better. |
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