christmas

i know it's not me....everyone i talk to seems to be struggling financially. so why do we feel guilty bcs we have to cut back on Christmas?? whatever happened to the Christmases when i grew up and we never got what was on our list bcs that was a "wish" list anyway? not a shopping list!! my childhood Christmases were so full of  JOY, serious joy, not the kind of joy that cleans grease off of hands but the kind that makes the angels SING! and i doubt my parents ever spent more than their normal budget. we just had FUN. we baked and sang (played noels all december!) and made and snuck and hid and did all kinds of fun thigns. and the morning of? we were all surprised and tickled and delighted by what we got. it was magical. we played games and stayed in our pajamas until late. sometimes we would carol on that day, usually the day before. we snarfed on homemade goodies and just had fun being together.
nowadays kids aren't satisfied....if they have a cell phone, it doesn't have all the newest features. if they have an ipod, it's not the current model. if they have a computer, it's not fast enough. an ipad? not enough memory. video game systems have replaced board/table top games and virtual icons have replaced real people. and kids now equate their parents' love with the amount that is spent on the gift.
which brings up another curious question, since when do kids need to know what their gifts even cost??

this year is going to be different. we are simplifying things. Christmas will be about memories, love and fun.  oh, and giving. :)   we're all poor. no one to compete with anymore.  let's remember the Reason for the Season.....