Laurel Lee
Being stuck is a position few of us like. We want something new but cannot let go of the old - old ideas, beliefs, habits, even thoughts. We are out of contact with our own genius. Sometimes we know we are stuck; sometimes we don't. In both cases we have to DO something.
Rush Limbaugh
Today I need to get some things off my chest that are just going to fester if I don't "talk" about them. I have noticed that the holiday seasons are becoming more and more materialistic rather than focusing on the gathering of loved ones and creating memories to last lifetimes. When does enough become enough where you speak up about such quandaries? I am not just stuck in that spot between the rock and the hard place on making a decision about this, I am squashed in there and it's getting painful.
Holidays have always been about family to me rather than what you can find under the tree. Maybe that's because growing up we didn't always get everything we asked Santa for. Maybe it's because my parents and grandparents taught me that if I'm not grateful for everything I receive, then things will stop being given. The past few years during the Christmas season I have been witness to extreme ungratefulness and a lack of understanding the ideal that sometimes the best "gifts" we receive come in the smallest packages.
How do you tell somebody their child behaves in such a way when it seems to be almost an encouraged part of their behavior? And how do you express feelings of unhappiness to a family over something that seems so trivial and silly after such a wonderful day (aside from the aforementioned witnessed behaviors)?
I feel something needs to be said or these behaviors will just continue to occur, but doing so will only make the situation worse. Thankfully I have a year to contemplate this problem before I am forced to face it again and maybe by then those I have witnessed will have grown and matured some to realize the Earth does not revolve around them and that there are things more important than the number of packages under a tree.
I completely know what you are talking about here. It is funny how some of us grew up knowing that Santa doesn't bring everything and that family is what really matters. I think the only way to keep this tradition is to show our own kids that Santa does NOT bring everything they want and that it is about family. I know you are still working on the kids part but when they come you will be able to teach them what you want it to be about. I have also started a tradition with my kids that we make gifts for others instead of buying everything. They seem to like this. We were making calendar for family and this year the kids did hand print t-shirts for all the grandparents. We mostly do gift for them and aunts and uncles unless they have kids. I have made it very clear that we only buy/make things for kids and grandparents. Hopefully we can keep this going. We all really enjoy it and making things together for others give us a family activity time!
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