A good approach to Christmas

So, I'm 50 years old. I've learned a few things in my trips around the block and some of them involve Christmas. There were years I got caught up in the madness, made innumerable plates of goodies for neighbors, started shopping in July - hiding presents all over the house and then buying more because I didn't write down everything on my never-ending list, made sure my three kids had the same number of presents to open, sometimes hovering around 20-25, sent hundreds of Christmas cards, all with a hand-written greetings on them and decorated every corner of the house with some Christmas-y knickknack, all of which had to be boxed up and put away just days after Christmas.

Over the years I got smart. Here are ways I enjoy Christmas without all the hassle:

1) I don't start buying until after Thanksgiving. No, I don't shop on Black Friday. That's part of the madness and I want no part of it. I shop online or in stores gradually collecting items before Dec. 24.
2) I don't buy tons of stuff. I think about a few things each of my kids and Riley would like and buy them. Think about it. If you give your kids 20 items to open (or even 10, 15 ...) they are really only going to remember maybe 2-3 of their favorite gifts. So give them 2-3 things. Then they'll remember all of them. (And the byproduct is less stress, less bills, less wrapping, less stuff to store, break, step over, pick up, etc. PLUS being able to reinforce the real meaning of Christmas which has nothing to do with piles of stuff!) C'mon - are underwear or socks really a "gift"?
3) My Christmas greetings are sent online, except for about 15 to people who don't have internet. They are all over 80. It took me about 30 minutes to send 157 emails yesterday with a letter attached that I had written a couple of weeks ago.
4) Neighbor gifts. Hmmm. I still like to give these but to a select few. And I don't think that just because someone brings a goodie or gift to your door you MUST reciprocate. It's not a contest and it doesn't have to be fair - tit for tat. If anyone is keeping score and you don't get a treat the next year, oh well. Less sugary treats.
5) I also don't get out all the Christmas decor. Some years we have just a Wizard of Oz tree. Those ornaments are in their own box so they are easy to get out. Some years I put all the family salt dough ornaments on (like this year). And there are select items around the house that are familiar and I love. But there are way more full boxes of Christmas stuff in storage during the holidays than there are empty ones. The one thing that must be set up is the nativity scene. It was my grandparents and I inherited it when they both died. It's wonderful and I should really keep it out all year.

So the past few days, in between stops to pick up a few last minute items, I've read, soaked in the hot tub, watched the birds in the bird feeder, had breakfast with friends, taken stuff to DI, helped a sub-for-Santa family, watched several movies, had long phone calls with family and friends and slept. I spent the entire day in my pajamas a couple days ago! Yes, this is Christmas. Christ gave us the gifts of family, time on earth and His gospel. He is the gift.