Start the Exchange over

I Propose that we do the exchange over and add more cousins. If we do do no presents this year and only the exchange. We should include every cousin thats going to be at Christmas that wants to do it.

We made the exchange on thanksgiving and it was only like 3 of us thinking of people that would want to be in it, and of course we forgot people.

So call all the cousins and see if this is a good idea. and find out who else wants to take part in the new tradition.

and since the young kids are doing an exchange too. We might not even need any other gifts.

My Idea:

• Get every cousin that wants in on the exchange
• Have the young cousin do there own too
• If the aunts and uncle want to do one to, Even Better!
• Open these exchange presents at midnight (no early then that)

no other presents will be opened that night (if you have a gift for another family member bring it and give it to them so they can take it home and open it in the morning)

This way everyone is happy and no one gets a better present then the other since there is a limit on how much.

Whatcha Think?

Less is More

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.