Reflecting

It's quiet in the house, I just put Sophia to nap in the "big girl bed" for the first time ever, I made a GREAT cup of coffee, and I find myself reflecting a bit on life. I think I'm overwhelmed by the Christmas season materialism and I am easily sucked into it, using the fact that we haven't been home for Christmas since 2005 as my excuse to buy gifts for everyone, nearly including the mail man!!  I know I don't need to buy gifts for everyone, but it's the fact that I CAN do it that is making me crazy.

I want my kids to not only know the meaning of Christmas for our family, but I want them to not expect a tree full of gifts.  I feel like we are all buying into the "want, want, want" instead of just appreciating what we have and how special our family is.  I want to have a humble Christmas for the kids, yet I also want them to know how much I love them and during Christmas, that translates into buying THINGS for them.  It's a juxtaposition that I haven't quite figured out how to maneuver. 

I want to have traditions, things that they will remember in the years to come when people ask, "What are some of the special traditions you used to do with your family?".  They won't remember that they got the Toy Story 3 DVD, but they might remember a special thing we did together as a family.  So next year, I'm determined to be a minimalist...very few gifts, and more traditions.