Thursday, December 1, 2011

Christmas Season begins....

....or did it begin weeks ago when the stores started piling their stuff on the shelves, tempting us to buy?

My friend over at yadayadah talks about the things she likes at Christmas and some of the meanings and it got me to thinking a little more about decorations.  I love, love, love seeing all of the night time lights that people decorate with, but now I am wondering if they do it because they love it or because the want to be better than their neighbor?  As you drive through some neighborhoods, you definitely know where the competitors live, the Griswold look!  I am actually glad for it because it gives me something to look at. 

With the time that my Mom and I have spent (and are still spending) out at my Gma F's place, it has really made me think about Christmas in a different way this year.  As each year comes, I feel less and less in the spirit, I don't know why exactly but I think I am starting to figure it out.  Gma F was all about the giving, all year long, and now she isn't here to help all of those people (and all of the retailers bottom line!).  She was the last of my grandparents to pass and I think I am realizing that all of those 'people' are what made Christmas for me.  'Those' people (gma f and the gparents m) were such strong Christians and such givers in their own way, that I am wondering if they are up above pushing me to be more like them.

Why do we let the commercialism get to us?  When did we let the commercialism get to us? I am one of the worst too, I don't have to have expensive stuff under the tree, but I like lots of things under the tree for everyone, what is wrong with me? (of course my boys will be saying, sounds like a good thing to us!) I can remember going to the gparents at this time of year from my first memory to my last, it wasn't about gifts-they really didn't give them.  It was about family and Jesus and they had a tree and maybe a few decorations but that house felt like Christmas. That is what is wrong, the feeling of Christmas is so lost.   My yadayadah friend is slowly decorating her tree this year so that they can feel Christmas each day, little do most know, last year I only put lights on my tree.  I did it because I didn't want to hassle with taking ornaments off, the tree was so tall I knew it would take forever . Well guess what, I loved our tree last year.  I loved looking at the beauty of the tree with lights and no other distractions and that, folks, is the problem-the distractions of the season that detract from the season.

So after the season I will let you know how distracted I became this year.  

1 comment:

  1. aahh...I believe you hit the nail on the head. The distractions! Some things (decorations) help us focus on what's important - others do the opposite - and for whatever reason it just seems more challenging to focus - but getting distracted is so easy! Not just at Christmas - but definitely at Christmas.

    I actually still don't have ornaments on the tree and I'm lovin' it w/ just the lights too.

    Wish you could be here today for the "quilting (crafting) bee"!

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