Monday, December 17, 2012

A simple Christmas


Last year at Christmas we made bread, pumpkin pasties and Christmas music mixed CDs for presents.  We only exchanged with our parents, select grandparents, siblings and their immediate families/significant others.  We felt some guilt for being stingy but everyone had a heads up about our financial goals and why the gifts would be leaner than usual.
Going into this year, we're planning on mixing some more store bought gifts with the baked goods.  At this juncture we only have the baking to do and the wrapping/gift bagging of those items.  That was my thought rather, until last night.  GJS feels really strongly that he and I should exchange presents this year.

My initial reaction was, why?  And, where are we going to skim the money from in our already overextended budget?  But I didn't question aloud.  Instead I bartered on price and talked him down from $75 to $40 each.  I said we could take cash out of our mini savings account so that whatever we got didn't show up on our mint account.

So now I'm faced with the task of buying my husband a gift, one week before Christmas.  This is not how I like to do things.  I like to get things done early, plan, research, bargain shop.  Argh.  Next time Gadget.



I want to Celebrate Christmas like this:
  • Christmas Eve service with friends at church
  • Drive along Lake St. Clair and look at the Christmas lights
  • Sing Christmas carols 
  • Snuggle up at home with a Christmas movie
  • Sip hot cocoa and eat yummy Christmas goodies
  • Wake up on Christmas day and spend time with my parents, brother and his girlfriend.
  • Open stockings and call that enough, no need for gifts too
  • Sit around the table and eat breakfast with my Grandpa, sharing what we're grateful for this year
  • Head to GJS's parents house for Christmas round two with his parents, sister, Grandma and Grandpa
  • Enjoy some champagne, crackers, cheese and meats
  • Play a game and have dinner
  • Make lots of memories and remember that:

No drama, no worries of buying the perfect gift or making the bread gluten free or wondering if I spent too much and went over budget.  We're making progress toward less emphasis on gift giving but not enough in my opinion.  Perhaps once we have our own children we'll be able to craft a Christmas that is less gift-centric and more focused on family and faith. 

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