Reviving the Spirit of Christmas

Hi R and all you guys out there

I have to agree in principle with Fifi Box, in her article in the Sunday magazine from the Daily Telegraph,

"What we seem to have lost among the garlands of tinsel and the reams of wrapping paper is the spirit of Christmas. Yes, it may all seem a bit touchy-feely, but it's not the giving and receiving of material things that we should celebrate, it's the sharing of time and love with our family and friends. If, like me, you're exhausted by the exchange of meaningless, last minute presents and want to share your love in a different way there are alternatives...... Kris Kringle schemes, home-made presents or World Vision purchases of a goat or a duck which is delivered to a family in a Third World country."


Fifi concludes by "wondering how many of our carefully chosen presents end up in the temporary purgatory of the bottom drawer. Then after a respectable time lapse, of course, they find their ultimate resting place, either regifted or on offer at a garage sale."


And Fifi would most likely only be in her thirties, if that - a surprising viewpoint from a young person, perhaps we would expect this attitude from someone older. I have to say reluctantly, that I share her sentiments, and whilst I enjoy Christmas when it arrives, the brainstorming for the perfect gift is stressful, attempting to gauge the interests and desires of each person and reconcile that with the budget. We are up to our 13th grandchild, nearly 14th, (two marriages!), so have had to become more efficient at the process.


To conclude, a few words about opening presents and showing appreciation. As a single parent of two, one Christmas I was overwelmed by stretching the already stretched dollar and time factor, only to have toys etc strewn all over the house after Santa took all the credit for this enormous effort. The next year, things were different - Santa's stuff in the stockings (pillow cases), could be opened on waking, a quick breakfast, off to church to celebrate the religious meaning, then to sit around the tree to open other presents, one at a time, thanking and appreciating. It felt much better.


Clara

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to creating a world where children can grow up happy,
healthy ... and hopeful... where they can learn with pride
and live with dignity... where every child is free.....
simply to be a child.
http://www.unicef.org.au/

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