This year, materialism is heavy on my mind.
I will be the last person you will see waiting in line at a store on Black Friday.
And well, I have to confess, our tree currently has NO presents under it, and to be honest, T and I haven't even decided if we're going to do presents this year? And why? Because there isn't one thing that our kids need. Not one. And they are much too young to know if they want something.
I don't want to come off as high and mighty because I over indulge in "stuff" just like the next person. I am starting to become more aware of it though.
Through my travels, I've realize just how much stuff most Americans have. I am in NO way rich, yet my closet is full of clothes (most I won't wear anymore) and shoes, and belts, and purses. My kids? Oh my gosh - I could change them both multiple times a day, and it would be weeks before they ran out of clothes. They have every toy they could imagine. We are set.
I remember going to Norway for the first time, and was amazed at how little possessions my friends had. And my friends are doing well in that oil-rich nation. Yet they didn't have the excess stuff that a lot of us seem to have here.
And then I went to Egypt, and Taher's relatives lived in small apartments, and had only the necessities. I remember being in his one female cousin's bedroom (that she shared with her brother) and she had 1 pair of jeans, and a few shirts. That was her wardrobe. And it was plenty.
And Ethiopia.
What does one say about Ethiopia? The people I met were so full of joy, yet the only outfit they had, was the one currently on their body. Yet they smiled. They were joyful. And they just seemed happy.
I was in an all day training session this week, and as a get to know each other activity we had to introduce ourselves, and then tell the room what we would do if we had just won $100 million.
The responses were plentiful.
Buy a new camper
Buy a second home
Travel to Europe
Build a cabin
Buy a boat
It came to me, and trust me, I in no way wanted to seem superior to this group of people, but my first response was to give the majority of the money to help with the famines in East Africa. There are so many places in this world where $100 million could certainly benefit. East Africa just happens to be very near and dear to my heart.
"Whoever has much, much will be asked."
I don't have the answers. I don't think that people should live without. I just don't feel excited at the thought of receiving presents this year. In my family, we draw names. My brother-in-law drew my name, and I couldn't think of what to tell him I wanted. I couldn't think of anything. Nothing. And if I have to think that long and hard, perhaps I really need nothing at all?
And again, my kids. I love giving them things. I love seeing their eyes light up in excitement, although they are at the age where 2 minutes later, they will forget what they have received, and go onto the next thing. So I don't know if we'll do presents.
Perhaps I'll send my sponsored child presents? Perhaps I'll find a charity I really stand behind and give donations.
I'm not sure what Christmas will look like this year, but if there are no presents involved, I am completely fine with that.
7 comments:
I know the feeling Leah. That is weighing heavy on my heart this year too. Not being able to come up with anything "material" on my wish list this year was an eye opener for me. I have everything I "need" and more. But I'll share an idea for you that my family enjoys this time of year. Every year at Christmas, we have a tradition with my immediate family, we all donate money and my dad collects it so we can adopt a local family in need from the "Share Your Christmas" tree. After we finish with our family Christmas (we celebrate with my family the Saturday before Christmas) dinner and gift exchange, we go out and shop together (spouses included) for our adopted family. It is so much fun, so rewarding and definitely brings the true spirit of Christmas to heart. Maybe you guys could do something like that too and start a family tradition of your own or even just donate some of the toys your kids no longer play with and take Scarlett & Khalil with you so that it's a family event. I know when I have kids of my own someday that I will keep this tradition going with them so they know the true meaning of Christmas too.
I so agree with you-its such a hard topic for sure. We will get presents but we try to do a lighter christmas and focus on the real meaning of Christmas instead of all the material things that are so involved in this world.
This is a great time to think about all this when your kids are so young. Mine are too and we are working out our traditions and figuring Christmas/gifts out. So far we only have gifts for OTHER people under our tree and it will remain that way until closer to Christmas. They are almost 4 and don't realize they will be getting presents on Christmas.
One thought that jumped out at me is something I read on another blog. That family gives their children something to read, wear, give, something they need and finally, something they want. I think they added the "read" and "give" gift as they heard it from someone else. I think that is a great idea as a way to keep both the parents and kids focused. Anyway, thought I'd pass that along and it would make a nice tradition I think.
I feel the same way. At least for me. We decided that our trip to see family is our Christmas so we aren't getting each other anything...honestly it's a relief not having to agonize over what to get/whether he'll like it.
Z on the other hand....I've had to exercise some serious restraint not to go overboard!! :)
:-)
Wonderfully said - have nothing to add to that!
Awesome post. There was a year for us not long ago that we felt very much the same way. We were having so much trouble buying for our family members (we've never exchanged gifts between the two of us), and we realized it was because there was absolutely nothing needed... and anything we bought would really just be a gift.
So instead, we gifted money to charities that we felt our family members would want to support. We made the donations in their name and presented them with cards with information about the charities and the gifts made in their name. Honestly, there was more joy and fulfillment with those gifts than any others we've ever given to them.
Stopping back to let you know that I nominated you for a blog award! :)
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