I suppose because I find little girls singing "Santa, Baby" wildly inappropriate that my last post could be construed as cranky about Christmas. I'm not. It's just that those girls are the ones who are going to grow up to join the cheer squad and do a wildly inappropriate lip sync number in pseudo-lingerie at the high school talent show with their fellow cheerleaders. And I thought I'd do a pubic service by pointing it out.
Au contraire, my friends. I'm not cranky about Christmas at all. I'm a huge Christmas nerd. Tonight I took my kid to get peppermint frozen yogurt and drive around looking at Christmas lights because I LOVE IT. All-Christmas music radio station on? Check! Saw the live nativity? Check! Picked out our Christmas tree? Check! Decorated the whole house? You bet.
This is the least stressful Christmas I've had in a lonnnnnng time and I'm trying to figure out why. I think it comes down to one little change. Last year, I saw an idea on a few different blogs (I remember it most clearly from Becca Wilhite) where people do this "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" thing. I thought, No Way. I couldn't do that. I LOVE buying presents.
But then we bought our new house and I knew I'd have to be smarter about money. So I decided to try it. And with that one little change, a little Christmas magic happened. I always think hard about the gifts I choose for people, but this year I've thought even harder. And buying a much more limited number of gifts has freed up not only money but time, and with that non-stressed time, I find myself more sensitive to the reason for the season.
So I blast my Bing Crosby and bake my Christmas goodies, and play with my kids and I'm enjoying Christmas because it's just . . . good this year.
Also, I love Jesus way more than Santa.
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15 comments:
I looked up the lyrics after your last post and they are less nasty than I thought but almost more stupid. And the whole idea of the song and the way it's sung is just icky. I also hate "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". Not funny, just dumb and wrong when many kids believe in Santa.
I loved reading about the fun Christmasy stuff you've been doing. I also loved the "old, new, borrowed, blue" Oh wait, I mean the "want, need, wear, read" idea. We do such simple gifts that we don't actually need to cut back, but I like the idea of organizing it that way.
And I'm with you about Jesus.
I definitely didn't think you were anti-Christmas after that post. Santa Baby is a pretty big summation of exactly what's gone wrong with Christmas and it's especially disturbing when sung in a provocative manner by young'uns.
Did Miley Cyrus ever sing Santa Baby, as a small child? Just wondering. Not making any judgmental observations, or anything.
What a great idea. We just wrapped the kids presents last night, and we pretty much had those exact categories covered! I don't stress too much over Christmas, but I much prefer low-key, without too many prezzies. I hate having too much stuff. (You know, unless it's shoes. Or books. Whatever, you get the point. Er, I hope...)
We always take the kids for a drive on Christmas Eve to look at the lights. We love it, and as an added bonus, it just happens to be a great way to get everyone drowsy.
Good thing you included that disclaimer at the end of the post... gotta cover the bases, ya know.
We finished reading "A Christmas Carol" on Sunday night, and then started a little marathon of watching different versions of the film. We're saving the Muppets for last. It's my favorite. I am not even kidding.
(Side note: My 9-y-o said, "Mr. Dickens sure does like his adjectives, doesn't he?" Yes, dear. He does.)
I love "want, need, wear, read" mantra for Christmas gifts. I did the same thing this year.
I didn't think you were cranky about Christmas with your previous post. Even though I firmly stand by my love for Eartha Kitt's version of Santa Baby. Have you ever heard Pearl Bailey's song "Five Pound Box of Money?" It's the same basic sentiment as Santa Baby, but a simple, non-slutty version. It's awesome.
Well you know I AM cranky about Christmas but thats my own deal, you didn't sound cranky at all. We'll have to try the 'want, need, wear, read" next year, also hopefully next year will be better because hopefully our life won't be so in chaos. Let's hope for that. :)
Love that last line. Love.
This year is much less stressful for me to. I've been attributing it to kid number three...there just comes a point where there's enough kids around the place that there just isn't the mind space for that kind of stress. They're the ones that suffer if I freak out, after all.
So yeah, Christmas cards will be a couple weeks late this year, but ah well...it's all good.
I am feeling more apathetic towards Christmas this year. Mainly because it is completely different with huge financial strains. On the bright side, I do love taking the kids to see Christmas lights. There is something so thrilling about them.
I was a total stress case about Christmas the first week of December. I was so afraid to spend a single penny because spending money is hard and then I just decided that giving presents is really fun. And I've never been a ridiculous spender and have always made reasonable choices so I decided to jump into my shopping with both feet and it was really fun. And I was really reasonable. And I didn't spend too much. And all is well.
And I love Jesus too.
I didn't think you were cranky about Christmas. I think that same thing about little girls singing that song. And a bunch of other songs.
But I am glad to hear how you're less stressed and feeling the happy in Christmas. I'm feeling the other way 'round.
And I love Jesus the most, too.
This was great to read. I often wish the world could turn Christmas around....forget about the VOLUME of presents. Focus on the needs...the emotions....the love........the charity.
Oh my goodness, I sound kinda cheesy.
But THIS Christmas, I totally have re-evaluated a lot of things. I have bought so few gifts, haven't baked anything, I will spend My FIRST Christmas away from my kids in my whole life.
It will be painful.
But...it will also be the FIRST Christmas with my new husband. That need to be special.
I have thought a lot about our Savior of course in this last month.
Thankful for his birth.
Thankful for the atonment.
Thankful for everlasting life.
Thankful I will be with my son again some day......and THAT is why I love Christmas.
enjoy the music and time with your family.
but I might just have to sing a little Santa Baby for hubby Christmas eve. (tee,hee)
I need to be better about my gift shopping. I have heard that little mantra you use as well as three gifts, because that's how many Jesus got. But I just can't stop sometimes! It's crazy. I've stopped now, though, and it's better this year. It feels good to feel finished at this point, and I did stick to my budget which is more than I can say for most years.
Merry Christmas!
I must have been completely out of blog world last year, or have just completely succumbed to pregnancy brain, because I do not remember the want, need, wear, read idea. But that seems like some kinda of awesome that I will need to instill into my Christmas life.
I too love Jesus much more than Santa.
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