holiday preperations

I have decided to seriously scale back our holiday spending this year. Both out of necessity and desire. My husband received notice in July that his job was coming to an end. (Two extensions later, he's finally out of work at the end of the year. Maybe.) I haven't worked since our little one was born last July. Money is tighter than it's ever been for us, though we're still scraping by. But even if we had the fundage, I've grown tired of the greed and commercialism that has become what was once a simple, peaceful holiday.

If I had a million dollars, I still wouldn't want to spend it on lavish gifts for everyone in my address book. And I have plenty of things myself. I don't need to make a list of the DVDs and books and kitchen gadgets I want so someone else can buy them for me (though I could certainly use a new food processor if anyone is so inclined ;-).

I've also become a big believer in Handmade over this past year, maybe a little bit longer. I love to handcraft gifts for loved ones, and I love it when I receive something someone else made just for me, or bought just for me from someone who hand made it. Some of my most cherished possessions over the years are gifts people made for me. My mom makes us gifts every year, and I've started that tradition with my own son. My closest friends are artists of various types, and crafters, and I love to see what they come up with.

This year, we are celebrating the giving side of the season by focusing on the little ones in our lives, and making all of our gifts. My side of the family and we have decided not to exchange gifts for the adults, just for the kids. We're doing a cookie exchange instead of a gift exchange, and I'm very excited about that. My husband's side of the family and we have also called a moratorium on gift-giving. I'm making some gifts for my neices and nephews (hopefully to be sent out on time), and I'm not expecting anything for ourselves.

This past year I made it a goal to hand make at least one component of every gift I gave. I mostly succeded. This next year, I've made it my goal to hand craft every gift, buying very little premanufactured items for gifts unless there's a good reason for it (a book I know someone would adore, for example). We all have enough *stuff* and very little real need for more. My child doesn't need to grow up believing Christmas is the time when he gets every single thing his little heart desires. The holidays are not about greed and gimme. They're about slowing down to reflect on what we already have - our families and homes, our friends and loved ones, plenty of food on the table and warm clothes to wear, the love and grace of our God.

Another tradition I'm starting with my family - started last year, actually - is to be sure to take time to focus our time and energy on someone in need. Last year we gave up a gift of ours to a child in our community who was battling cancer and whose family couldn't afford presents. This year we put together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. My son is too too young to understand what it's all about, but never too young to start cultivating a spirit of giving.

I'm looking forward to Christmas this year, and not stressing about it all like I often have in the past. I'm pacing myself, doing what I can, enjoying as much of it as I can. It helps to have a little one in the house, and I try to stop and see things through his eyes. It can truly be a magical and wonderful time of the year if I let it.