So, the other day I heard about this movement called the $100 Christmas. No matter how large or small your family is, you pledge to spend only one hundred dollars this Christmas. The idea is to move away from such consumerism and to make the gifts you do give be truly meaningful. I loved it! Who needs yet another stuffed dog in our house? Is there anything my parents and grandparents really need? Not really. And, what a great way to help teach the girls about giving rather than receiving. I am ready to sign up for this movement!
Not Bill. While he loves the idea of not spending obscene amounts of money on everyone, he just cannot fathom the idea of limited quantity of gifts at Christmas. So, I am still working on him and ways to incorporate this idea into our holiday season. And I came upon Christmas Cards as a good start.
It all started out by looking for something to do with the girls. It was the weekend and they were getting bored and wanted to turn to the TV for entertainment. Suddenly I decided that we would make our own cards this holiday. We do it for Valentines Day, and everyone loves it, so why not another card giving holiday.
Now, I realize some people go way out and do stamping, color coordinating, scrapbooking, etc... But not us. I purchase cheap blank cards with envelopes, some foam shapes, and lots of glue and construction paper. The four of us sit at the kitchen table for an hour or so and get creative. I do not put any limits on what they can and cannot do. They are free to use whatever materials we have out. It is always interesting to see what a 4yr old creates with no guidance.
Lately Annika has been really into cutting. So, she cut her cards. And then stapled them together. You can't see what she drew on them, but they are stapled all nicely together. Some she stapled and then cut some more. Interesting technique; I think she lost sight of the end product. And I was very relieved when we ran out of staples. It only took about 3 cards and 30 staples to run out.
This year if you get a Christmas card from us (realize that I still have cards from the past three years that I have not mailed out. I am BAD about this process!!) don't be surprised if it is a little different. We're trying to make meaning, and not consume so much "stuff."
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