The Raft

I am doing it all differently next year.
Do we say that every year? Probably. But I really mean it.

First of all - more Jesus, less Santa.
I do a good job of keeping Abby aware of God, Jesus, being thankful. I really do. But she's not even 3 yet. There's only so much I can do.
One thing I can do, that I don't do enough of, is bring her to church. Every Sunday, sure, but at least Christmas and Easter, right? We go to Playgroup at our church and we read stories about God, including her Children's Bible and a Bible Story book she got from church. But I will do more for her in the coming year. She's old enough to sit through church, even if she needs a snack and a coloring book, we're going more often.

More giving, less getting.
We went completely overboard on Christmas morning. Jay bought me everything I ever wanted. I bought him more than I should have and still less than he bought. And the kids opened presents for an hour - nonstop. It's too much.
Next year we will limit Santa's gifts. Each kid got 9. NINE.
4 or 5 would have been enough. And maybe 2 or 3 could be from us or each other - a little less Santa would be ok.
The family also overdoes it on the kids, but they love it - we love - the kids love it... and that is nice. I don't want to quit shopping for my nieces and nephews any more than they want to quit shopping for my kids.
Both Grammas did a good job of "not going overboard" because they both shop for the kids all year long, why go overboard on Christmas when everyone else is, too? Makes sense.

More celebrating, less stressing.
It's the kind of stress you don't feel until it's gone. I noticed today that I was ridiculously tired. So tired that I could hardly move my body.
It didn't hurt my holiday at all. I loved Christmas as much as I always do. But maybe I could have had more fun, been less worried, if I had focused on the "why" more than the "how".
And maybe, just maybe, the "family drama" on either side affected me more than I wanted it to.

Next year, no drama.
I will focus my heart on myself, my husband and my children - celebrating the birth of our saviour and this wonderful time of year where the whole world is in love with itself and eachother.

Less presents. More presence.
We are spending less and shopping less; giving more and doing more. We can sponsor a family here in town, everything from dinner to gifts. We can afford that, and we might even afford a bit more if we cut back on the nonsense. We can buy Toys for Tots. We can do more than we do. And if each of us tried that, each year, to just be nicer, kinder and more grateful. We'd all feel better.