Sunday, October 12, 2008

[JessFinds] The dirty C word

I know it is not even Halloween but I have started to think about Christmas. In the sense that most people think of the Holiday Season (not as many of my clergy friends think of it). I am only writing this because I have seen some stores all dolled up for Christmas already. I don't know what happened last year. Maybe we were depressed. Maybe it was subliminal programming on TV. We bought. We consumed. We shopped. Like crazy. And Christmas was just plain obnoxious. I felt a little dirty afterwards.

This year, I want to simplify. Get back to building traditions and getting caught up in the Season not caught up in the Big Box Stores.

When I shop this year, I want to shop locally. Buy from small businesses that will really need the support. Or use sources like Etsy.com to support crafters and artisans.

Don't get me wrong. I want stuff. I have not lost my mind. I am still coveting a pair of warm fuzzy Uggs (the Ugg La Jolla to be specific, tan, in a size 10 thank you) and I want the Adobe Indesign suite for my iMac and I want a silver necklace with a bird nest and two nested pearl "eggs" and I want a sturdy, well designed timeless leather Coach handbag. I am not above wanting. But I don't really need any of those things.

I also want my heating bill paid. I do actually need that. :-)

All in all, this is what I really want: I want to set a different example this year. I want my home to smell like gingerbread and my halls to be decked. I want to bake with my kids and do crafts. I want Crab to have an ornament-making party with some of her friends. I want to visit holiday bazaars and go on drives to see decorated homes. I want to watch holiday movies. I want to make a giant pot of cheese fondue on Christmas Eve and enchiladas on Christmas Day. I want to hang out with friends drinking spiked warm drinks.

I don't want my kids to turn in to entitled brats. Not that they are. They are wonderful imaginative little creatures. I just want to keep that ball rolling.

1 comment:

Jane Priest said...

I want all that too, the second group, the Holiday group not the stuff group. Let's see how we can accomplish that.