I've been thinking a lot about the holidays this year and I am really excited for the first time in a long time because we have Andy to share it all with. But at the same time I became sort of sad at the thought of all the gifts we had to buy and the not so great financial situation we are currently in. And I realized we are not alone. We are all taking a hit during these tough financial times. Some more than others. For some it may be a matter of "Will I be able to afford that daily latte?" and for others it's more like "Will we be able to afford our next mortgage payment." It's the reality of our times. This is when I began to think of the motto "less-is-more."
Our family has always been BIG on a huge family Christmas, and I love it. I love getting together and eating and singing and opening presents. But I do believe that amongst all the material items we have lost the true meaning of the holidays. It seems that Christmas has became a competition of who will get the most or biggest or best present. The tradition of waiting until midnight is no longer upheld.
With so many families struggling this holiday season I suggest we take a less-is-more approach. Let's remember why we get together and celebrate in the first place. In a year full of ups and downs within our family it is even more reason to be thankful for what we already have. Most importantly - our health. Thankful that our grandparents continue to be fight on and continue to be with us.
I have heard people say they don't want to get together this year. And no one has said it, but I know it's because it's just to expensive to compete. Sad but true that it does work this way. The younger generation has gotten so use to this that they EXPECT great gifts so everyone else could "oh" and "ah". So I propose we get together, eat and enjoy each others company without the stress of material gifts. Maybe leave the gifts for Christmas morning or once you return home. Maybe call it an early night this year. I mean, it's not like anyone waits till midnight anymore anyway.
Just an idea and solely my opinion. But we should all definitely take a step back and figure out what it is that we love to do during the holidays and what it is that we hate about the holidays and be happy. For example:
I love:
- to decorate my home
- drink holiday coffee drinks
- giving presents to my immediate family
- midnight mass
I hate:
- Christmas cards [what do I do with them afterwards?]
- Long shopping lists
- feeling stressed out during a happy time
No one should feel obligated to do anything. We should all take a less-is-more approach to the holidays. Be happy. Go out and do what you enjoy with your family. Make new traditions, but please don't let our old family tradition of celebrating on Christmas Eve be ruined by material woes. It would be so sad for this gathering to disappear because of this.
Think about.
19 comments:
I say each kid brings 1 or 2 presents each. It would suck to not take any presents especial since this year we are doing the gift exchange... The parents should talk amongst each other and make an agreement. Or just suck it up cause I always watched everyone get more presents then me... I don't agree with the no presents this year. But I do agree that parents should limit the gifts they bring...don't bring 9 gift for one kid..I say 1
gifts each kid plus the exchange, plus the god parents gift that's 3 gifts each kid...
Crap! Guess that's what I get for commenting using my phone
Gabster and Robster...I agree with you. I love being with you all during the holidays. I am looking forward to seeing you all as we missed on out on Thanksgiving. Please don't tell me we are going to cancel it. You know the best part of Christmas to ME, is being with all of you guys. Laughing, eating and being COLD!! Watching the aunts get drunk, making the tamales and complaining about it. Let's still get together and bring 1 gift for each person.
DON'T CANCEL CHRISTMAS!!
To each his own.
Some traditions need to continue and some need to go. Tamales, Posadas, and Family, in my humble opinion, need to stay. Hundreds of gifts exchanged on Christmas Eve, that needs to go.
I am not saying that no one should buy or exchange gifts, I am saying that everyone doesn't need to see what Mom/Dad/Santa/et al. got their little loved ones.
I want to continue seeing loved ones on the Holidays. I want my kids to grow up seeing their large extended family. I don't want young Family Member A to be down because young Family member B's Santa gives extravagant gifts. Nor should the gift giver feel the need to complete with other Santas.
This year, open the gifts at home. Make a new tradition of waking up and see what Santa brought you. Then, on the next family gathering, probably a couple of days later, thank the person if you haven't already.
I think it will be easy to convince the older generation of kids. What is going to take some convincing is the younger gen and maybe some aunts and uncles.
So if you agree, talk to those who don't read the internet on a daily basis and share your ideas.
Thank you Arturo!! That is exactly my point. This is NOT a let's cancel xmas post. Don't confuse it. This is a let's focus on family post. I'm not saying no gifts ever. Maybe just this year. You guys have no idea how much some family members are struggling. I put us out there so that others don't feel like they're alone. Just an idea to get people thinking and talking. Glad its working!
Cousins of the gift exchanged we made on thanksgiving - How about we exchange our gifts at midnight. keep that alive at least and I was really looking forward to it..that way there's a reason to stay, cause I have a feeling with no gifts this year lots of people will just leave early and I don't want everyone to leave early.
My favorite thing about Christmas is the staying up late and hanging out with everyone.
And the harder I think about past Christmas.. I picture the crap load of wrapping paper on the floor.
We got to find something that'll make everyone stay. I'm kool with no presents but not if that means everyone is going to leave early.
Posadas at midnight maybe?
I have struggled in previous years to bring my children enough presents to open so they don't feel left out...so believe me this all comes as a relief to me. I would much rather give my children the joy of staying up late with the cousins.
Actually Sebastian asked if we were going to Pasadena for Christmas. When I asked him why he wanted to go, he stated, "Cuz I want to see everybody sing again." I was happy to hear that it wasn't for the gifts.
So, everybody let's stay up late, freeze our butts off, eat some tamales, sing ourselves some carols and exchange our little gifts at midnight. And, I will only be taking one gift per child.
By the way, I just said, Don't Cancel Christmas, to the persons that had been thinking of it. Not to the author of this wonderful blog post. ;)
i personally am not gonna lie and really would leave early from our past christmas gatherings cuz i would have to see kids these days getting gifts that are just not for their age. I dont remember being a 12 year old with a laptop or anything like that. i remember getting roller blades as a kid and being just unbelievably excited. I know some people wanna spoil their kids but i agree don't do it in front of people who cant do such things in times like these.
i think the kids should get 1 maybe 2 presents and the exchange. Lets not end this tradition were one of the last remaining family who actually keep a tradition like this going. When u get home open the rest or wait till morning.
Why do you think me and my family left right before the presents last year? It was so much better! Frankly, the part of our get together has become too materalistic. I agree with this post, and same as last year me and my family will be leaving early!
This is a great blog thanks for initiating it. We are all struggling this year, much worst then other years. I totaly agree with you, take 1 present per child to open, the godchildren and our gift exchange. Chritmas is supposed to be a joyous season, for family gatherings, making tamales, drinking champurado, las pozadas, watching the kids sing and dance and just hanging out and freezing our butts. This is what we need to teach our kids. The true meaning of Christmas.
I forgot to mention that my mom tried to do this exact same thing a couple years back, and some family members who will not be named, gave her a really hard time for it, saying that the presents were "tradition." JUST SAYING!
I'm not going to lie, but I do feel left out. I know I wasnt there for Thanksgiving, but "it's the thought that counts," and i didn't even feel like i was "thought" about. Infact i never feel that way. Everytime I'm at family parties it's because I invite myself, not because I'm invited, but i always keep my happy face because I love you guys.
sorry but i had to let it out.
Jessica is right. Her mom did try to speak up last year, but no one was hurting as bad then so everyone just took it as canceling a family tradition. We all get what she was trying to tell us now...late...but it was her original idea. So thank you Tia for seeing more than the rest of us were willing to at that time.
I am totally for the 1 present rule and waiting till midnight. And this doesn't mean take the coolest present.
We all feel like Marcelo. And he is so right to say that a pair of roller blades was the ultimate gift for us....back in the day. But I guess times are different. We live in a much more advance world that is more and more dependent on technology. So we can't be surprised that all kids want in.
ANYWAY
That's another story for another day.
Here I go again...stepping off my soap box now.
Oooooh i get it!!..... Soap Box...hahahaha
Mariela - Don't do that to yourself. You know our family and there are NEVER formal invites. I find out about things the day of or the night before. And that's only because my mom happens to remember to tell me. nancy and I try to keep you in loop as best we know. SO don't feel left out plz! We LOVE having you around. I love the energy you bring.
wow, coolio blog.
since everybody is saying something, i wanna say something too.
so, it's purty intense about the presents stuff and i think that you guys are right.
coming from a kid, hhehe.
presents are cool and stuff, but it's more about bringing the family together and stuff. and can we still do the show we do every year? cause i mean it's fun and even though were getting olderish, it's still purtyy fun.
so yeah coming from ANABELGEE :D
I totally agree with this post because i just to be with the family and just hang out and i really don't care about the presents and Christmas is not about that its about family.
MY THOUGHTS OF THIS SUBJECT!!!!!
I personally do not think of our family Christmas as a competition! I LOVE to give, I love to share and eat tamales. I didn't think our family compited (thats my dads family). We are how we are and we do what we do and no one questions anyone and thats what I LOVE!
Sing the posadas and hearing my moms loud singing from the inside and Lupito's from the outside are what I remember from Christmas as I was growing up.
Yes the present have gone from roller blades to laptops (as said on the comments) but we are in a different genaration, I don't even think laptops were invented when I was 12 yrs old. Most house holds didn't have computers. Roller blades were the presents of our generation.
But I get the point and times are hard so if this is whats best for our family then I will be a good sport and accept whatever everyone decides. I just wanted everyone to know what I think
So if you guys do not wish to open the presents I enjoy giving on Christmas eve then I guess you'll have to wait untill Christmas Day to open them!!!
Happy Birthday to Isabella GEE.
Dec. 20
tEHEHE.
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