Last night I was talking to my friend Ruby about wanting to decorate the house for Christmas, and how I was at Wal-Mart and there was no one there. Every isle was clean and organized and all of the merchandise was stocked and organized, and it was the emptiest I had ever seen. So I started checking prices and they were your normal everyday prices. I got Trinity her diapers, however, I felt the Christmas aisle drawing me in; but I didn't give in to the temptation. When I got to the car I told Gabe how empty it was inside. He asked if I wanted to go back in and shop. I contemplated it the whole way home. But Trinity was sick and the kids needed a bath and were tired. I felt selfish so I started reciting scripture, and sooner or later I was healed from the nagging pressure of keeping up with the Jones and dreaming of how beautiful I could make my home be. What a trick of satan, playing off of my fleshly thoughts and emotions. I personally think that stores use the day after Thanksgiving as a sales ploy to get people in the door. I also believe that Americans are caught up in materialism. Buying things we don't need to impress poeple we don't even like and teaching our children to do the same. We are so unthankful and non-giving.
My sister told me about a friend who wanted to spend $60 per Christmas ornament! That's sick (and not in a good way), Lord have mercy. I hope I'm not sounding judgemental. I understand that every household has a budget and the liberty to spend some money to decorate fo Christmas which I believe is a good thing. You don't want do be a Scrooge! I was raised with the Jehovahs Witness doctrine. I know it can be legalistic and take away from the joy and the true meaning of who we celebrate just as much as the shopping, and cleaning, and cooking, and whatever. Where do we find Christ in all of this madness? How can we reach out and make a difference in our lives and others?
This is my personal opinion only because I personally fall into the trap of wanting things instead of realizing the True meaning of Christmas in the first place:
Christ. Emmanuel God with us. Jesus is the reason for the season.
So Ruby and I exchanged some of our ideas as to how to make our Christmas a more traditional and memorable one for our children and husbands. We shared past failures that we have hopefuly learned from. I took her idea and put up homemade garland. You know the kind that the teachers hung up in school. Alot of fun easy work, like making snowflakes. We always make a homemade manger scene, and once again this year we are painting on the windows. Ruby is putting up a realy neat doll set that moves in her widows for the neighbors. I'm finally gonna get a real tree and decorations. But this time I'm gonna let the kids decorate it. Then When they go to bed I'm gonna sneak back down stairs and do my part to "touch it up". We always make a Birthday cake for Jesus, and we tell the candy cane story, the saint Nicolas story, and most precious of all, the Christmas story. I took an idea from another home school mom. Place children's Christmas books around the house. Calvin's gonna learn a few Christmas songs on the piano, and we are gonna play Christmas music every evening before dinner. Giving is also a special part of the season. We sometimes do baskets for our neighbors, or serve at church. I might join the choir this year. Christmas should be the most wonderful time of the year. Because We celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus who didnt stay a baby, but grew up and died on a cross to save us sinners, and rose from the dead .
If you have any cool ideas, or traditions, please don't hesitate to share.
P.S. iF YOU WANT TO MAKE A $50 WREATH FOR ONLY ABOUT $5-$10, GET A GLUE GUN, LOTS OF GLUE STICKS, A PLAIN WREATH, (THE THRIFT STORE HAS THEM REAL CHEAP AND MICHALES ARE FAIRLY ENEXPENSIVE.) SOME SMALL NICK NACKS LIKE TINY PICTURE FRAMES, PINECONES, BULBS ( 2 FAVORITE COLORS, THEY CAN BE THE MEDIUM SIZE), RIBBON (OPTIONAL),OR ANYTHING SMALL ENOUGH TO STICK ON A WREATH. LOOK FOR NICK NACKS AROUND THE HOUSE THAT YOU DON'T WANT. tRY TO STICK TO ONE THEAM AND COLORS MIXING AND MATCHING.LAY YOUR WREATH FLAT DOWN ON A TABLE COVERED WITH NEWS PAPER. POINT ALL OF YOUR WIRE NEDDLES TOWARD THE CEALING, TO MAKE IT LOOK FULL. MAKE A STARTING POINT. PUT GLOBS OF GLUE ON THE PART OF THE BULB THAT YOU WOULD HANG, STICK IT QUICKLY AND DIRECTLY INTO THE WREATH. GO ALL THE WAY AROUND WITH YOUR OTHER BULBS. THEN STICK YOUR OTHER OBJECTS ON THE SAME WAY ONE AT A TIME. ALL AROUND MAKING IT LOOK FULL. INTERTWINE YOUR RIBBON, MAKE A BOW IF YOU KNOW HOW. YOU WILL KEEP THIS ONE FOR YEARS.
P.S. It's not happy holidays, It's Merry Christmas
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