Every year, I start off my Christmas shopping with a reasonable list. But somehow, I always end up with too many presents for one child. Then I have to find more gifts for all the other children so they won't compare numbers of gifts and find their own massive pile lacking. Every Christmas morning, I find myself disgusted at the excess, and I vow that next year will be different. Then I repeat the pattern again. It's a vicious cycle.Until this year.
This year, a friend taught me a poem that she uses to control her Christmas gifting:
Something they want
Something they need
Something to wear &
Something to read
It was exactly what I needed - concrete and easy to remember boundaries before I even started shopping. I told the kids that they would be getting 4 gifts each. They liked the little poem enough that they're excited about their 4 gifts instead of feeling like they're getting gypped.
So when I'm out shopping and see something that Anna just has to have, I can remind myself that she already has her "something she wants" and pass it right by. Now I just have to practice enough self control to not stuff 5 outfits into one box and call it "something to wear."
And really, if you add the 4 gifts from me and Steve to the gifts from Nana and Grandpa, the gifts from Oma, and the gifts from their cousins, it's still going to be excess, but at least I feel better about it.
10 comments:
Those are wise, wise words to live by. I just spent three hours yesterday wrapping all our crap and I was disgusted with the excess. I am going to try that next year.
P.S. I am in the Rockwood 1st Ward here in MO. Love it!
Susan, I really love that game website you have listed. Thank you for introducing it to me.
I am so doing that last year. The presents this year are making me gag. My kids don't deserve them anyway.
That is the GREATEST idea!! Thanks for giving me the best words of wisdom I've heard before I've gotten into bad habits!
Hi Susan!
Im starting to finally get the hang of this blog thing. I still have a few things I need to learn like how you have people as friends! I can't figure out how to add someone elses profile to one of your friends. Im going to check my blog more often now and update it!
Yours always cheers me up!! Its so good!!!
Your blog is totally in my top 5 favorite blogs to read. I love your posts. Not only are they entertaining, they are informative!
I also enjoyed your comment about "krazy" spelling... I added it to my list of pet peeves.
I'm very proud of the self control Susan. It's a hard thing to master, even with the poem.
Oooo. I like it! I'm going to use that when we have kids. Or at least more than one!
(so what does Santa do?)
just wondering.
Santa only fills stockings. I (and Steve) get credit for everything under the tree.
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