This past Saturday I went up to Champaign. I was at a friends house that has no kids. I looked at her well put together tree and told her I had always dreamed of such a tree. But really I DO love my kid tree....ornaments in clumps and in different places throughout the day and season....garland just thrown on....kid type. Another friend came by (an empty nester) and said I would "miss" the kid type decorating. So...I began to think about it...how Christmas really is about the kids. I LOVED Christmas as a kid. I loved decorating the tree and putting up decorations. Maybe that is why I love it still. And letting my kids do it will hopefully instill a love in them, too, that they can pass on through the generations.
So, the stresses of a perfectly decorated front room have eased up as I have seen the joy in my children's eyes for "their" decorating and "their" Christmas. Now if we could just keep the front room CLEAN.
Our annual Christmas book is coming along great. This year we are reading "The Christmas Search" by Susie Whiting.
It is set in the depression with 2 young boys in the "Hobo Jungle." Their parents have passed away and the older is left to take care of his ailing little brother. His motives are pure but he can't get a job and resorts to putting his brother in an orphanage so he can be taken care of. I enjoy reading the Christmas stories and the kids are enjoying it too. Each night we read just a bit. This one is a little longer than normal so hopefully we can finish it before the actual DAY of Christmas.As I have thought, lately, about this whole Christmas Spirit thing I have really been struck by how nice it is to have a season to think solely about the Christ child. But I am saddened by some that seem to have a "Bah Humbug" type attitude. Greed plays too big a part in this holiday. Pres Uchtdorf mentioned last night in his Christmas Devotional message that maybe these economic times (trials as they may be to some) are a blessing in disguise for us to simplify our commercial type Christmas attitudes and concentrate on the real meaning....the baby born not in a mansion, but in a manger; not clothed in silk, but in swaddling clothes. And so it is with this thought I try to instill a love of the Christmas season into my own children -- No great traditions, though I think often of starting. A simple love of the Savior, a time to read stories of the miracles of Christmas, and a time to be together. That will have to suffice for now....
2 comments:
I totally agree with everything. When I was at Sandy's, I looked with a bit of envy at her perfectly put-together tree. But, nothing could induce me to trade in the delight that Danny gets from helping me. And we have had to decorate the tree three times this year, yet every time, he is as excited as the time before, and he is really getting better at decorating!
I also agree about all the bah hunbug attitudes out there. So much of the stresss of the holidays we bring on ourselves, don't you think? All the pressure to be perfect, find the perfect gifts, etc. BUt that is exactly what this season is NOT about. Maybe it is easier for me to let go of because my kids are young and not all that concerned about gifts. They like gifts, but don't have a list all ready. we are trying to focus on the simple things. And I am having fun with that!
Denise - Your tree is beautiful! I don't think I ever let my kids completely do the tree on their own while they were little - or maybe ever! But I do love all their ornaments that they made for our tree! We have so many construction paper/glitter 'ornaments' on our kid tree. I totally LOVE them! One such ornament is a purple paper torn into a 'circle' with glitter all over it! I asked the kids one day where the purple paper ornament was, and they said "This?" "It's not purple, it's brown!" It had totally faded and WAS brown, but I never saw it as brown - but always will be purple to me! Now my little one who made that purple paper glitter ornament for us is 33 years old! Cherished memories with every ornament we put on our tree now! You'll love it all your life!
- LynnEl
Post a Comment