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w/ Miranda!
Miranda Bradley is the owner of BCreative, a communications consultant business in Georgetown. She is also a public speaker and author of Blessed Are the Jesus Chicks. Her greatest role, however, is as wife and mother of two boys.
Making the Most
of a slim Christmas season
Decking the halls may be a bit tougher this year for most of us. I know in our family the tree will be slightly bare, but that doesnt mean our joy will be diminished. If anything, hard times require us to be a little more creative with our gift giving. Just how is a parent or grandparent to give fewer gifts than the year before? It can be a struggle for children to understand the financial climate or why they are being penalized for it. Here are a few ingenious suggestions from some local moms to help you make the most of a slim Christmas season.
The Pick of the Litter
A family tradition was born out of necessity in our family many years ago, when I was just a child. These days, its even more necessary and appreciated. Instead of purchasing gifts for everyone, we pick a name out of a hat. Whatever name you get is the person you buy for, with a $20 limit on the gift. Of course children still in school or college receive gifts from everyone, and the matriarch also receives gifts from us all, but in the end, it does save on money and frustration. It also forces the entire family to put more thought into the gift.
For the Children
Lets face it. Christmas is a holiday based around a child namely Jesus Christ. Since then, it has become, and remains, largely a childrens holiday. For some families, they choose to take this a bit further, forgetting gifts for the adults (what do we really need anyway?) and choosing to give only to the children in the family. You could probably impart the three gift rule here as well. We were talking on New Years Eve one year and realized that we just got way too much stuff for Christmas. Theres nothing the adults in our family really even needed, so we made an agreement to only buy for the kids in the family from then on, said Barbara Cooper of Leander. That was 10 years ago, and we find that we look forward to Christmas even more now because a lot of the pressure is off and we can just enjoy the kids reactions.
However you choose to spend this season, remember what truly makes Christmas magical is the spirit of hope. Though times are hard, the spirit of Christmas doesnt reside in things, but in the loved ones that surround us. So hang the holly, decorate the tree and hug your family. In the end, thats all anyone needs to make the season bright.
Threes a Charm
Cynthia Smith* of Round Rock said she felt convicted a few years ago about the amount of toys and gifts her children amassed during Christmas. To address the issue, she returned to her strong Christian roots and made a new gift-giving rule. Our kids each get three gifts from me and my husband, she said. We explained that Jesus received three gifts, and if its good enough for Him, then its good enough for us.
As for Santa, Tracy Hern of Georgetown* said she limits the Man in the Red Suits giving as well. We give him a limit of two gifts and the value of those gifts cant go over $30 each. So far, its seemed to work well and our kids appreciate their presents much more, she said.
From the Heart
Nothing says I love you better than a homemade gift. From the pioneers to the sons and daughters of the Depression, hard times have often required us to become more resourceful with our talents. Last year, I dusted off my sewing box and cross-stitched a pillow for my mother, said Melanie Miles* of Austin. She got teary eyed and said it was the best present she could have received from me.
Encourage your children to dig into their crafty little hearts for a good gift-giving idea. You can make a hand print-painted terra cotta pot for a gardener in the family or frame a painting of the family made by your own little Picasso. No matter the level of talent or ingenuity, these are indeed the gifts that your family will treasure for years to come.
