Organically Inclined

I did some Christmas shopping over the weekend. I decided to suck it up and brave the crowds - and we did, my daughters and I. But it was some of the most difficult shopping I’ve ever done, because I couldn’t just buy anything. I kept looking at all of the cheap, plastic crap and would think - “yeah, this will be broken in a week” - or “I’ll be sweeping this up off the floor in May.” Not to mention the fact that my children just don’t want that much. That’s one of the great benefits of not having television - they never see the commercials for all of the cheap plastic crap that they used to “need.”

Now, my 3 year old is difficult because I do want to buy him everything, but I have to stop myself and remember that there is a very real joy curve when it comes to Christmas. There is the Christmas Eve build-up. We open one small gift and talk about Santa. Then there is the sheer thrill of Christmas morning when the littlest ones come downstairs and see all the gifts under the tree. We open stockings and eat candy for breakfast and then start to pass out gifts. But how many times in the past have I made my little ones wait to assemble things until everything was opened? And then they get exhausted - or overwhelmed - and the thrill is gone. And now we’re just crabby.

How can such a wonderful day turn out so badly? Well, I believe it’s the joy curve. A small child peaks out with joy after just a few gifts. And last year, I decided to take advantage of it. We bought just a few, well thought out gifts for each child. We assembled and put together as we went along. We enjoyed the morning.

And you know what? We had a great time. We enjoyed each other and the gifts we each received. We spent less money, ate more food and had a wonderful time all around. My kids said it was much more fun than the frenzy that had ensued the year before when our whole family gathered and there were more presents than anyone could handle. They liked it quiet and laid back, they said.

We also didn’t go into debt. I didn’t sign up for one credit card - even to get the 10 percent off. Because really 10 percent just isn’t worth it. So not only did we have less madness - we went into the New Year debt-free.

Now, I’ve read bill McKibben’s “Hundred Dollar Holiday” and while I agree with many of the principles, I’ll never be able to get out for $100. But I’m OK with that. I like the magical part of Christmas where you receive things that you don’t get in the normal course of your year. I like to surprise my children and see their faces light up when I get them something truly cool. But I will not go into debt for it. And I will never again buy stuff just so they have more under the tree.

I always ask my kids at the beginning of the holiday season, “If you could only get one thing for Christmas, what would it be?” And it really makes them think.

We also spend a lot of time doing family things (not that we’re not pretty close already). We make it a point to load up in the car and look at lights; go to a fun family movie (quite a splurge for eight of us!); and we bake a lot!