I have probably blogged on this before (I am too lazy to do a blog search!) but every December I enjoy the holiday music, food, parties, decorations and movies. But the part about which I have mixed feelings is all the commercialization. It starts with Black Friday (or before!) and continues with all the appeals from store ads for all the merchandise that will be purchased and then forgotten or broken in a couple of months. I am reminded of this especially today trying to travel on Route 175. It seems every car in our area is on Route 175 today going shopping for last minute purchases.
I don't get many comments to my blog posts but I would be interested in getting some comments about this question. "Would you enjoy the holidays less if there was no gift giving and just focused on everything else about the holidays?"
P.S.
I really don't like leaving a "scrooge-like" impression about my feelings about the holidays and I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy how excited kids are to get presents. I guess my mixed feelings are more directed at adults.
P.S.
I do like this tradition.
My husband and I don't exchange presents. The adults in our family don't exchange presents. If we want or need something during the year we buy it. We are not very needy people and we don't want or require a lot. Christmas is for the kids. When my kids ask what I want, my response is that I want them to get along and try to like each other a little more. I think it's nuts that people drive themselves crazy for the sake of having " stuff". I enjoy decorating the tree, making cookies and watching the old Christmas shows.
ReplyDeleteMy wife, adult children and I started a new Christmas tradition. We made all our gifts. Besides being less commercial, I found my Christmas to be less hectic, and the presents much more meaningful.
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