BLACK FRIDAY or is it FRY-DAY?

I just read an article where many of those interviewed were stating plainly that they were going to be buying less this year and focusing on their immediate families. . . but get this: many mention that instead of $600 per child, they'll be spending $300-$400 per child. As if! I could only wish I had that kind of money. My kids are lucky if we ever spend $600 for all three of them. Can I just ask: What the hell are these kids getting? Good God! And, are they thankful for any of it? I'm not just saying thankful for the moment, but is what they receive anything they will be grateful for for the years to come? For a few months? In their hearts?

We have three kids. We have one income. We have bills and daily stuff to take care of. We do buy our children gifts each year, but as they get older, the gifts have become pricier. Electronics, folks. But, they have Zunes (they bought them with money given them for their birthdays) and they have PC's, they have the Wii . . . they all have those Nintendo DS things. Games. So, what do we do? Buy more games for them to play on these things? Maybe. We haven't shopped yet for the "big" stuff. For us, the "big stuff" would be a Wii gaming bundle or something they can all share. They get pj's, some clothes, and their stocking with stuff. It's not a huge production here. Never has been. We're more concerned with celebrating Christ's birth. I'm thankful we've always done it this way. My husband and I both come from simple means and even if we could afford to put everything under the tree each year, I don't think we would. It's just not in us to let our kids live without disappointments and struggle. It is important to us to let our kids learn they can't have it all, but they can work hard and try if they want. It is doubly important that they learn that "things" are momentary, but Christ is forever. Life should be a process of learning about true happiness and that happiness comes from knowing God loves you so much He sent His only Son for you.

Growing up, my parents NEVER participated in the hours-long queueing for "items" to stuff under our tree. We never had a Better Homes & Garden - Martha Stuart Christmas. Not that I can recall. I remember the family gatherings fondly. The food and merry-making. We got stuff, but it was always incidentals and pj's, socks, clothing. We were always grateful. Of course, we had one or two Christmas' where money was very tight and all we had to be thankful for was that we got to keep the house and dad was still employed. On those sparser celebrated holidays, we still had the extended family gatherings and everything was more than fine. Why? Because we found JOY in each other.

I intend to find JOY in my family, my neighbours, my friends, and even the stranger this year. After all, JOY does mean Jesus, Others, and You.

Remember: during this Advent Season - prepare your heart for the coming of Christ. Be Christ to others - not necessarily through things, but by being the love of Christ in the here and now.


Last, but not least . . . For my daddy, who celebrates his 67th birthday today: Thank you for always working so hard to provide for us when we were growing up. You're still providing for us today in your continued generosity and example (i.e. coming home to the Catholic Faith this past Easter, especially). I'm so grateful that you are still with us (having survived the worst kind of prostate cancer a man can get, and, an heart attack) so that I can still chat with you on the phone and we can still fly into each other towns every few years. Thank you for all your sacrifices to keep us a family and teaching us always that charity begins at home. God loves you and so do we!