| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Nov 08 2007 : 08:23:25 AM
My mom and I had lunch yesterday at our favorite little spot, Martha Jean's, for some good home cookin', and we talked about Christmas, and how truly, really limited the funds are this year. About my pledge to buy/make handmade for gifts, and that she felt the same way--that all the commercialism (she works retail), and how terrible financially it's been this year, makes her just want to spend time with me,family and friends, EAT really well, and enjoy each other's company.
The owner, Martha Jean concurred, and said that they never had any money growing up, and that still, even with a large family, they exchange names and the limit is $10.00 and you do your best for that amount, and that her favorite part of their Christmas's in the last 3 years has been a game that one of the teenage cousins brought up...in larger families, it's easy to get together, but not really spend time knowing one another. So, this girl suggested that they go round the room, stating "their favorite Christmas Carol", their favorite "Christmas cookie" "Favorite Christmas", or whatever, regarding the holiday (and I guess this would work for Thanksgiving, too) and she said initially, all the adults kindof when "ohh (roll eyes)" but everyone got into it, and they discovered so much about each other, and everyone's answers were poignant in some way...for example, her oldest brother answered that the most memorable Christmas for him was when their parents bought them 2 transistor radios to share between the 4 children, and nothing else. That was all they could afford....she said there wasn't a dry eye in the room, and what seemed like a lame Christmas as a kid, was totally diminished because their parents had both just passed and they realized the sacrifices mom and dad made for them...
Instead of making myself feel bad for the things we can't do this year, I'm trying to change that around and think about the things we CAN do, like volunteer at the Christmas Store at our outreach center in the city, that I can send that $$$$ I keep meaning to send to the Humane Society (it isn't much, but it's what I CAN do), that I can make gifts from my heart, and give them with love and I can love a holiday without all the stresses of running myself ragged, or worrying about the "best gift", or who spends the most money. That I can enjoy being with people I love for more than a few minutes here and there, because we limit ourselves emotionally all year long.
Anyway, that conversation yesterday just stuck in my head, and it kept me thinking all night long.
As we near closer into this hectic season, I wish you all some "thinking"...
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| mima |
Posted - Dec 02 2007 : 07:00:16 AM
This is an awesome topic! Thank you!!!
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars,or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit." Helen Keller |
| Annab |
Posted - Dec 02 2007 : 03:35:15 AM
In this digital and scannable world, I bet not many of us carry cash or change very often.
This time of year, before leaving the house, I grab a wad of change or loose dollars and stuff these into the various red buckets for the Salvation Army. It's not much, but at least a little something.
I feel for the volunteers standing outside freezing.
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| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Nov 20 2007 : 08:02:07 AM
Yep, Annika, that's what I'm talking about. The hopes you hold for your holiday sound wonderful--what better way to spend it, than in the quiet of the evening, with someone you love.
I have my little envelopes ready to mail (when payday rolls around :)) to the Humane Society, and I've collected my blankets and towels for local rescues/shelters. I'm scheduled to work the Christmas store on December 6, and I'm knitting away for almost everyone in my family.
On a side note, my husband mentioned to me that their busser at the restaurant, who is 22, and his girlfriend, just had a little boy, who was born 7 weeks early. He is healthy, but small, and they are keeping him in the neonatal unit. They aren't married, but this boy is very responsible, and he has a light in his eyes that I don't see very often. They don't have much at all, and my husband and I decided that we would give them something to help with the baby..they're gonna need all the help they can get!
I feel it in my heart, this Christmas is going to actually BELONG to me--it will actually reflect who we are and what we try to accomplish all year long, and hopefully, will spur all of these desires to "be better", all year long, too.
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| Annika |
Posted - Nov 19 2007 : 11:38:12 AM
Beautiful post Jonni! We don't have much for big piles of gifts, I'm sending what small bit I can, adopting a soldier and a marine for both sides of our family, sending a bunch of towels and blankets to the animal shelter and going to have (hopefully) a quite Christmas eve with a little bread and good cheese and a simple elegant supper shared with my Drew by the candle light and twingling tree.
Wishing you joy in small things and peace in your heart
Annika
http://panzymoon.wordpress.com/ |
| Phils Ann |
Posted - Nov 19 2007 : 11:12:30 AM
Joy, you have some really good gift ideas. Thank you!
Ann
Sairy Hill Thicket
There is a Redeemer. |
| JoyIowa |
Posted - Nov 19 2007 : 07:25:43 AM
I'd like to offer a suggestion for Christmas gifts that require almost nothing in the way actual cash. Our family goes through spend/don't spend phases. I really wish we'd do more don't spend, but that's another story. Here are some of the things that have been BIG hits with folks in our family:
1. I took a free calendar (I think from our local bank.) I turned to January and wrote a quip about one family memory I would always treasure. Then I did one in each month until I got to December. Then I started over until I ran out of time. I didn't worry about the quips matching the months, just recorded the memory. I found it was fairly easy to write 3 or 4 a day. In the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas I made about 115 entries. It was the most passed around gift there!
2. Find a small fix-it project the recepient would like completed, bring the tools/supplies and do it on the spot. I hung my nephew's curtains that had been purchased several months earlier, but just never got hung. (I put a big bow made out of cut up paper bags and said Merry Christmas from. . .) Then I gave him a coupon book for 5 other fix-its. For this 7 seven year old who has many older brothers and somehow usually ends up at the bottom of the pack, these were pure gold. He ended up getting a bookshelf painted, his books organized, a new zipper in his coat, and 8 batches of homemade play dough (one of each color) and was pleased as punch.
3. For an elderly person: carve out 15 minutes once a week to stop by or call for the purpose of getting his/her memories down on paper as stories. There are many versions of "As I Recollect" books to get ideas from on-line.
4. Another way I shared the spirit of the season was to pool all the money I would have spent on Christmas, birthdays, holidays, etc. for a year and purchased a year's worth of internet for one family that had computers, but no resources for internet access due to a tragic accident. It really helped them keep in touch throughout the whole ordeal.
5. Give each person something of your own you think they would like. This is what my siblings, their spouses and DH and I have done for years. We have a hand-thrown honey pot that has gone back and forth between my brother and I too many times to count. We both love it, I originally received it. My brother "stole" it out of my house one time, I stole it back. Then decided to give it to him one year for Christmas, and the rest is history . . .
6. Give the kids a coupon for "Camp Auntie . . ." and set it up for sometime during the holidays to give their parents a free night. Usually when I do this, the kids bring a beloved T-shirt that has a rip or is too small, etc. We spend time recreating the shirt into something else: They've become covers to photo albums, snugglies, "possibles bags", etc. Sometimes we just get creative with the embroidery floss and stitch over the offending part.
All of these have been successful in the past. Granted these kinds of gifts have caused one of my brothers and his family to not participate in family Christmas anymore (They got tired of explaining to their kids why they didn't get "real" gifts.), but I figure it is their loss, the rest of us have a blast enjoying each other, laughing, playing, and of course eating.
Ultimately, Christmas is a time to give and receive with graciousness.
Have fun!
Joy
[, makes her just want to spend time with me,family and friends, EAT really well, and enjoy each other's company.
If it's not illegal, unsafe, or immoral, why not try anything once? Who knows? You may come back for a second helping! |
| Lainey |
Posted - Nov 09 2007 : 09:26:10 AM
Pauline, thanks those are excellent suggestions. I agree with you, we are all related when you think about it.
http://countrygirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
| Holiday Angel |
Posted - Nov 09 2007 : 08:59:35 AM
Perhaps one would benefit by finding a single mother/father with children to gather with that otherwise wouldn't have Christmas. Bring them to your home to celebrate and give them hope. I am sure anything they received would be very much appreciated. Going through your local fire departments/police departments will give anyone a heads up on who would be safe and truly is in need.Just doing that can be a real tradition and you may be surprised at how much "family" you actually can have. There are dorms full of college kids even that have no home to go to for the holidays.
If you truly look at it we are all related down the pipe line it just depends on how far you want to research your family tree!
President Heavenly Angels in Need Children's Division
http://heavenlyangelsinneed.com
Angels in Awareness (About abuse)
http://angelsbeaware.blogspot.com/
America (Support our Soldiers)
http://sugarslifeblog.blogspot.com/
Holiday Blog for Children
http://paulinesholidayblog.blogspot.com/ |
| Lainey |
Posted - Nov 09 2007 : 08:27:09 AM
To me the best part of the holidays is just getting together with family, friends, and loved ones and enjoying good times. I don't think I truly appreciated how much I enjoyed getting together with my family in past years, it was just something we took for granted, something we always did. In the past few years I've lost two grandmothers and one grandfather. The holidays were always spent at their homes. All the traditions I'd observed all my life were centered around my grandparents. We used to have some wonderful times. I'll always look back and remember how special they made the holidays for me. Since their passings the remaining family members haven't really started any firm traditions, except for one aunt who usually hosts Christmas Eve at her home and she does a beautiful job. But some of the other side of my family have moved over 2,000 miles away and family members who live here fly out to be with them, which is understandable. I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining, it's just I really miss the larger family gatherings and relationships. My husband's family live in Europe so we don't usually see them at the holidays either. He and I are both only children, so no brothers or sisters to be with. And we haven't been blessed with children yet. We will be spending some time with my parents and we're really looking forward to that. We'll just have to start new traditions with them and include family and friends we have left here.
Gifts are nice, but even if we didn't exchange it would be fine with me. I agree handmade items are some of the best presents I've received. I wish I had more talent with my hands because I would love to give something I've made to my loved ones.
http://countrygirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
| abbasgurl |
Posted - Nov 08 2007 : 2:53:43 PM
Hi Jonni,
Great topic! We started doing things in a similar way when funds got tight for us a few years ago. One thing we do is put a few kernels of corn (usually 4) at each place setting for Thanksgiving dinner. Each person takes a turn dropping the kernels into a small container "counting their blessings". We make several rounds during dinner conversation. We also make an effort to invite a few people who we know are alone on the holidays. So glad you brought this up!
Rhonda
I'm a one girl revolution. |
| Holiday Angel |
Posted - Nov 08 2007 : 12:52:20 PM
Isn't Christmas wonderful? I have made handmade Christmas Cards for my family later finding they cherished them more than gifts i could have bought. I also being from a rather large family of 11 kids, found that drawing names and making handmade items was much fun and appreciated as well. Some even pass around gag gifts (along with a regular gift) with no one knowing who was going to get it.
Now of course I make items and donate them to our Charity every year and even the kids and grandkids kick in realizing how wonderful the gift of giving is. With 4 single parent families and other places we are donating to we have no problem what to make or where to send it and it feels so awesome to meet a need!
Thank you each for sharing your thought's and personal stories about how you celebrate Christmas!
Hugs
Pauline
President Heavenly Angels in Need Children's Division
http://heavenlyangelsinneed.com
Angels in Awareness (About abuse)
http://angelsbeaware.blogspot.com/
America (Support our Soldiers)
http://sugarslifeblog.blogspot.com/
Holiday Blog for Children
http://paulinesholidayblog.blogspot.com/ |
| Beemoosie |
Posted - Nov 08 2007 : 08:41:47 AM
Great post Jonni. I too, concur! (always wanted to say that!)
Something else that has made homemade more obviously senseable is all the toy recalls! We exchange names with younger cousins, and since my children are older, I am not in the "toy loop" anymore. The way the news sounds, there is not much out there 100% guaranteed safe. So I feel very satisfied making gifts.
My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Luke 1:46,47
www.beequilting.blogspot.com
http://beemoosie-picture-diary.blogspot.com/ |
| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Nov 08 2007 : 08:41:30 AM
Thanks, Jonni. And a big AMEN, farmgirl sister!
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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