Episode 165
We’ve known and seen how consumerism, materialism, and sugar have taken over Christmas. We see it, know it, and understand it…and we’re still influenced and affected by it, even when we “know better.”
I know many parents who are wanting to step out of the holiday spending swirl and get their kids less stuff this stuff this year. But many (myself included at times) are conflicted because we don’t want to let our kids down by giving them less than previous years. And yet the need for change and simplification can’t be ignored. So how do we make peace with downsizing Christmas this year?
We’ve got to get to a place where we feel confident and calm about our decision to simplify Christmas and get/give less stuff.
Less Stuff: Most of us are already overwhelmed by the amount of toys and things we have in our house on a regular day. Adding more toys and stuff to the chaos doesn’t feel like a good idea…and yet Christmas has become so commercialized that parents feel like the amount of gifts they get their kids is somehow a reflection of their love for their children. Truly, there isn’t a correlation between the amount of love we have and the amount of presents they receive, but we’ve been sold the idea that there is. We can try to take our thoughts captive and remove ourselves from the over-commercialization of life…and yet it’s still the world we live in. We can’t escape the consume consume consume messages even if we try. We’re human…and we live in a broken world, but we can take action steps to get us closer and closer to making peace with our decision to simplify.
Ideas for Less Stuff:
- Name it. Get comfortable with the idea of giving your kids fewer gifts. Feel confident that less presents truly is okay…state it: “we’re going to be doing less presents this year, and that’s okay.” Let your kids know your why behind your decision. Talk with them about commercialism and materialism. Have a conversation about what each of you “really” needs, if anything
- Talk about budgeting with your kids (if they are old enough)
- Give and ask for experiences rather than stuff
- 4 gift rule: something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read
- Ask for practical gifts that can be used every day instead of plastic junk that thrills for one day and then breaks or gets thrown away.
- Think hobbies and creating rather than consuming/entertaining
- Go first…set the example of being happy with less by getting fewer presents for yourself and your spouse
- Less Sugar: limit sugar intake. We ditched daily chocolate advent calendars this year. We could never keep up with the days and it set an expectation of sugar every day when extra sugar abounds. It’s kind of like when I limited pink for baby girls…I still ended up with pink, but a manageable amount of pink
Sometimes it’s not enough to simply take things away…that void will just be filled with something else. Get ahead of that “void” by replacing less stuff with more meaning.
More Meaning:
- Think legacy—makes decisions and traditions based on legacy instead of cheap thrills.
- How do you want to feel at the end of the holiday season? On December 26th, what do you want to wake up and feel? Just relief or great joy? Memories of anger and frustration or feelings of connection and wonder? Make plans from that vision.
- Create instead of consume. Craft, bake, write letters, Ditch crazy making activities…like elf on a shelf. Yes, it’s a creative outlet for the parents, but it’s entertainment for the kids, not a creative outlet for them. It just sets them up with the expectation that Christmas is all about them being entertained.
- Be out in nature
- Put Jesus at the center of the holiday—go to church, have an advent wreath, read biblically based Christmas books, visit a live nativity, go to a Christmas concert or church play, sing Christian carols, read Luke 2: 1-20, pray…ask God to show you the way to a Christ-centered Christmas, pray for those struggling during the holidays
- Start each day with prayer
- Put out a nativity scene—there is nothing sweeter than watching my kids look at and carefully hold the baby Jesus from our manger scene. It sparks wonder and appreciation.
- Find a way to make “peace,” “love,” and “joy” (written on everything!) part of your Christmas.
- Donate to others. Participate in an angel tree, donate to a food pantry, or simply help a neighbor.
If you are wanting to simplify your Christmas this year, you are not alone. Whether it’s because of finances, inflation, or simply conviction on our heart (or all three!), there are many other families feeling to pull to simplify AND be at peace with their decision to simplify. A happy, simple, meaningful Christmas is possible…and it starts with you leading your family, mama, and leading them well. I hope you have a meaningful and Merry Christmas! I appreciate you!
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