So, upon recommendation of a much wiser and cooler mom than me (Starts with Jo, ends with Anna Reid...), I'm reading a book called "Living Simply with Children." I got it last night and read the last chapter first to testify to my consumer-mentality...can't wait to finish something, you know? Turns out it was the most timely chapter, though, as it advises on how to actually do what you really want to do to celebrate Christmas and not a thing more or less. Of course, I always wanna get my friends to do this stuff with me! So, if you're interested, the first step to a simpler Christmas is to do some Soul Searching, says the book. Here are the questions you're supposed to ask yourself and your family:
1. What did you love most about Christmas as a child? sights, smells, sounds, feelings
2. What do you enjoy about Christmas now?
3. What do you want your focus to be during the holidays?
4. Describe your "perfect" Christmas.
5. What aspects of Christmas do you truly dislike? Possibilities here might include in-law gift exchange, the whole Christmas card ordeal (amen!), traveling to three relatives' homes on Christmas Eve. Then again, these may be your favorites.
Then, you're supposed to summarize all this into two lists of "Keep/Add" & "Get Rid Of/Change".
Some websites, if you're curious:
http://www.simpleliving.org/
www.adbusters.org
www.simplifytheholidays.org
http://www.newdream.org/holiday/index.php
I'd be interested to know how any of my friends are 'simplifying' this year. And I'll post what we come up with.
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We take part in Advent Conspiracy. (http://www.adventconspiracy.org/)
Well, we attempt. We are going on year three. We try to make any and all gifts we give, as opposed to buying. They are more thoughtful, and more about what Christmas is really about. Generally speaking the difference in what you spend making gifts, versus what you spend buying gifts gets donated to a charity, or a project near and dear to your heart. For example: Living Water International. (http://www.water.cc/)
:)
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