Back in September,  I sat down with my boys and had a talk about Christmas.  We talked about how Christmas is a celebration of love and family.  The reason for presents is to celebrate what we have to give and to share the love and abundance we have. 

So, we decided to aim for homemade or homegrown presents this year.  Little did I know that I was part of a fad! Buy Nothing  or Make Something is all over the internet, including an offer to buy the “What would Jesus Buy” DVD for “Buy Nothing Christmas”.

Here’s our deal:  My commitment is to spend whatever time necessary to work on projects together and to buy the supplies.  The boys can choose to play rather than working on projects each afternoon or evening.  For any presents they decide to buy rather than make, I’ll take them shopping, but they spend their own money for half of what it costs. 

Late September, we sat down and made two lists.  One boy wrote down the names of all the people we would like to give presents.  The other boy wrote down all the possible things we could make or do for presents.  

Since then, we’ve been plugging away.   We had a couple refresher lessons on macrame, and made a trip to the craft store.  Both boys learned needlepoint on plastic canvas.  The oldest boy learned cross-stitch.  We have even finished some projects!  

December starts the baking season.  A wonderful side benefit of this process is that we can make all these goodies, and the boys understand that the stuff will be boxed up for other people (thus avoiding their sugar highs and expanding mom’s waistline).

As for me, lest I be hypocritical, I’ve had to take a look at my own gifting agenda.  Fortunately, I can pack up some of our home-grown premium Angus beef or dip into my stock of tie-dyes.  And, I can now macrame a bracelet an evening during movie night.

The boys are having a great experience.  We’ve spent a lot of quality time together during a period when one of my boys has been having a tough time otherwise.  They aren’t talking about what they want for Christmas, they are talking about what they are giving!  Unlike the hurried and harried trips to the mall, as we work on projects, we talk about the people for whom we are making them.  Christmas IS about family, sharing and love.

So far, I would say this is shaping up to be the best Christmas ever. 

Feliz Navidad!

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Cowboy Logic: Most people spend money they don’t have to buy things they don’t need just to impress people they don’t like

1. Heidi Says:
   December 1st, 2008 at 12:49pm

   I have had to laugh at all the attention to all the focus on “home-made” Christmas. We have been the odd ones doing things like this for years. We have tortured our family with all kinds of things made by the kids instead of high priced consumer items. I love to bake, so that has been one of our favorite things to do for others. It must be the rebel in me but I have always hated putting a price on a gift for a holiday that is suppose to represent love and selfless giving.

   So once again, I will give citrus fruit, baked and canned goods. Along with slowing down to focus on spending time with family/friends instead of spending money.

   Thanks for the reminder!!!



2. gloria Says:
   December 1st, 2008 at 12:59pm

   Wow, Angus beef? Can I be on your X-mas list?

   I, too, have been thinking long and hard about what to do about gifts , and I’ve come to realize that this year is really a huge opportunity - to ignore what you think people “expect” from you and what you “expect” from yourself in the types (or expense) of presents you think you should be giving. This year, we will be focusing on thoughtfulness and practicality - what people will really use or consume.



3. Sara Says:
   December 4th, 2008 at 10:06am

   I have come to realize another benefit of making Christmas a whole season by focusing on making things during the month preceding:

   I am divorced from the boys’ father, so half the Christmas Days they spend at his house, not mine. Because our traditions center more around the season than the day, where they are on Christmas day does not matter nearly so much.



4. Jennifer Says:
   December 5th, 2008 at 3:48pm

   The flip side of the buy nothing mentality though is that if enough people do that, it makes the economy even worse and more people get laid off and lose their jobs, on and on it goes.

   There are negative consequences to eschewing consumerism too.



5. Sara Says:
   December 5th, 2008 at 5:35pm

   Jennifer: I agree that everyone suddenly panicking and not spending anything is bad for the economy.

   Call me old-fashioned, but I see us as a society, government and economy as having made living beyond our means a way of life. I don’t think we can spend our way out of the situation we are in, and end up any healthier in the long run.

   Restraint, not stinginess is a good middle ground.