Shopping?

Wow - it isn't even December yet and I'm already shopping a lot!   So glad I'm not working so that I can go in the day time when others are at work.  It sure does make a difference!  I'm hoping to finish shopping by the 2nd week of December so that I can focus on my baking and canning. 

Finished up two of the grandchildren yesterday and got a good start on a couple others.  No, I don't buy a lot of gifts anymore - just a couple per grandchild now.  I try to focus on my children and their spouses - they do without all year to provide for their children - now I want to bless them.  Just  being a 'mom'.   Which reminds me of a true story...

One Christmas, many years ago, I was struggling with strept throat.  I didn't know it was more than a sore throat so I continued to bake, to can, to shop - just like every year.  At that time, I think we had only 3 grandchildren.  Anyway, I wanted everyone to come to "grandma's house" for Christmas morning first thing - just like when I was growing up and everyone came to my mom's house.  (I'm big on traditions.)  After we married, we always got the children together around 6AM on Christmas morning.  This Christmas was no exception to that.  I would cook a big breakfast and after opening gifts, we would all eat together, then they were free to go wherever they wanted for the rest of the day.  I would buy so many gifts - sometimes buying silly things to ensure that everyone had the same number of gifts.  Exactly.  Didn't matter how much I spent (which was never a whole lot), but everyone got the same number of gifts.  That year I remember it was 27 gifts apiece.  Of course we had to open each one - one person at a time - so it took us a little while to get through all the gifts.  I loved watching it all - but being sick, I could only sit in my chair and watch.

After the gifts were open and everyone went in to eat, I continued to sit in my chair when God spoke to me. Yes, I know without a doubt it was Him.   "You are selfish."   What?  Me selfish?  How can you say I'm selfish?  Look at all these gifts I bought and all these things I made - how can you say I'm selfish?  "You are selfish." 

As I sat there and thought about it, God revealed to me why He said I was selfish.  I wasn't selfish with material things.  I was being selfish in wanting my children and grandchildren with ME first thing on Christmas morning.  The grandchildren were not even opening their gifts at home - they were being awaken to come to grandma's house first. They would then either go to their 'other grandparent's house' or home to open their own gifts.  As God revealed all this to me, I realized He was right.  I was being selfish.

I called my children over and told them I was sorry, that God had revealed that I was being selfish.  Of course they immediately said 'you are not!' - so I had to explain.   I told them from then on, they were to have their Christmas at home first, and then stop by whenever they wanted to later Christmas day.  It was hard for me to tell them that, for I love being with them all and seeing all their excitement.

But Christmas is not about me.  It is about Jesus, his birth celebrated on Christmas day.  That is what we are to be celebrating - not giving gifts to each other.  But, of course, I still do that, just not in that quanity.  It isn't the number of gifts, it is being with family that you love.  (and perhaps some you don't!)

This year, think about what you do Christmas morning.  We start ours off with just Tom and I.  We open our stockings from Santa (yes, I still believe in Santa Claus) then gifts from each other.  Tom brings my coffee before we even start (is he trained or what!)  I fix lunch now - and whoever stops by around that time opens their gifts and eat when they want to.  Then later in the day we head out to our daughter's for a few hours.  They insisted on starting their own tradition of everyone going to see them.  Kind of like I was doing first thing, I think, but it is what they wanted.  It's not the same as by then it is crazy and everyone opens their gifts at the same time and I miss getting to see their faces seeing what I searched so diligently for them.  But, each family has started their own traditions.  And I have to let go.

Think about what you would like to change from Christmas past, then make that change.  Take time to celebrate Jesus and remind your children and grandchildren the reason for the celebration.  It isn't just about gifts, it is about loving each other too.   What is your tradition?

Blessings!