Monday, November 15, 2010

Christmas Question

I'm looking for some feedback here.  I see all you lurkers viewing, so now I'm going to put you to work.

I would love to know how you handle Christmas as far as the amount of gifts that Santa Clause brings...or if your kids even believe in Santa.

Santa usually needs a big rig to haul all the loot and put it under our tree.  That's the way it was for me when I was growing up, and Christmas always rocked.

When I had kids, my mom told me not to start that same tradition...because once you start, you can't stop.

Needless to say, I didn't listen.

I just can't help it.  When I go into Toys-R-Us, I act like a child that's on a shopping spree.  I fill my cart to the brim.  Most of the time I end up putting a bunch of stuff back because I am not made of money, but I do tend to overspend.

But to me it's worth it.  Watching them on Christmas morning tearing into all their fantastic goodies makes me not care how much I swiped the debit card in the weeks prior.

I've read blogs where people give one toy, one book, and a pair of PJ's.  That's what their kids are used to.

So just purely out of curiosity, how do you do it?  What are your traditions?

I understand the true meaning of Christmas and that gifts are not important in the grand scheme of things and all that.  I'm not looking to start a debate about that. 

As a matter of fact, this week I intend for me and the kids to gather things for Operation Christmas Child.  And I think you should, too!

Watch the video.  But, first, grab the Kleenex.  Trust me.

4 comments:

  1. How we do Christmas around my house is the girls ( mainly jaycie) picks out one more expensive gift and santa brings that with some stocking stuffers. My mom has always told me that they went outta their way to get us everything we ever wanted and the stress it caused. Not to mention that the jaycie is at the age where she wants everything she sees.

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  2. Jess that is what we grew up with too and I'm sure my kids will get the same. The one thing I try to remind myself though is that it is not worth going into debt over!!! But... with that being said, gifts will be plentiful even if a bunch of books or outfits all get wrapped separately- like one shirt= 1 gift and 1 pants= 1 gift lol.

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  3. I have a hard time with Christmas because I am against spoiling her and because she is a January birthday - it's kind of inevitable. Plus my parents and his parents buy her LOTS of stuff... so we end up with WAY TOO MUCH stuff all between december and january - and in our smallish apartment, it's hard. So... this year I think I am going to cut back quite a bit and celebrate her birthday as a half birthday in July so that she can get some stuff mid year as well so she doesn't just get a bunch of stuff in winter and nothing until the next winter.

    She already has so many toys - I am trying hard to think of other stuff I can get her so we don't run ourselves out of space. if I had a house, I might feel differently.

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  4. Hi Jess...
    When my kids were little, they got one big gift from Santa and their Christmas stockings were filled by Santa, too. Everything else came from their Dad and me. Of course, they also got lots of toys and gifts from both the families, as well. They got to open one gift on Christmas Eve, which I handed to them for control--because it was a new pair of Christmas jammies. They were always happy and we didn't go hog wild. It is fun to watch their faces light up when they open their presents... but, after awhile, there are so many gifts and they only really play with their favorites, anyway. You don't have to go broke and remember, even Jesus only got a few gifts on the day of His birth. It's best to give and that's when they will find that they feel good about themselves and helping others--the best gift of all!

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