When I was on one of my multiple Christmas shopping trips for my children...
We have so much. SO MUCH.
We are so blessed. So very blessed indeed. Food in our cupboards, fuel in our oil tank, warm beds to sleep in at night, more than one vehicle, internet access and cell phones. So much stuff. Stuff that we truly and honestly don't even need. So much.
And then I took a mental inventory of my girls' bedrooms. And all their stuff. I think of Christmases past, and how most of that stuff is lost in the bottom of the toy box, only to be seen again on a thorough cleaning day. As I paced from aisle to aisle I pondered. I thought about all this stuff, and then thought about things in which my girls actually need. I was somewhat frantically searching for one possible thing that they actually need. Just one thing.
I came up empty handed, as I thought...They have so much.
Now, in regards to this "so much stuff"...I assure you I am not bragging. We do not have the best of the best of everything, nor are name brands on the top of our priority list. I am full aware that all we have has been indirectly given to us by the Gift Giver himself. And for that I am continually grateful. That thought alone keeps me humble.
All that said, this is the first year that I have truly wrestled with buying presents for my children. Not that I don't want to give them good things. Like any other parent I love to see the joy on their faces when they unwrap their gifts. But when I was walking through the aisles of toys something deep within me kept me grounded. Reminding me of how much we have, how blessed we are, and how little we need. I did find several little things that I know will just thrill the girls to open Christmas morn. But for the most part, I determined to keep this year simple. Not because we have to, but because I feel we ought to. We found some gently-used books, doll clothes, ornaments and trinkets at the thrift store. And I take no shame in admitting that they'll be wrapped up and under the tree....right beside the brand new, over-priced, cheaply made plastic toys. I have no doubt that would horrify some people. But it's not them I'm concerned about...it's the three little girls that watch carefully and follow in my footsteps. And it's my own heart that I have to keep in check. Christmas can too easily become such a greedy, materialistic holiday. There's a fine line in there somewhere that I've yet to find. But I know it's there.
Growing up we didn't have much in regards to materialistic things. Not nearly as much as children do today. But we had just enough. Just enough that I never, ever felt in need. Perhaps that was my mother's doing...by way of her attitude and actions. She never complained about the things we weren't able to have. I never thought we were lacking. And every Christmas I was so excited to wake up before the sun, rush to the living room and take inventory of which presents were mine under the tree. Some of my absolute favorite memories of presents weren't even expensive ones. They were the stocking stuffers. My fondest memories of gifts in my stocking consists of:
- Roka Blue cheese spread
- a giant candy cane stick, which usually took me all year to work on...causing great jaw pain almost daily
- Life Savers candy book
- Vienna Sausages
- an orange (which I never, ever ate by the way...)
- Avon deodorant (which I probably should have used more often that I did...)
Isn't it funny the little things that mean so much? That's the kind of Christmas memories I want my children to be left with...the simple stuff.
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