What Would Jesus Buy?

[bicker]

Jesus doesn't buy present, Santa does.

Actually, Santa makes them with his cohorts. That's probably the best answer: Make presents, don't buy them!

 

[minkydog]

I used to dread Christmas. It was stressful and I felt pressured to buy gifts for practically everyone I knew who was breathing. Then, one Christmas, I stopped. I informed my sisters and others that I wasn't doing it anymore and since that time, Christmas is more about what it should be for me.

I do not even buy for my nieces and nephews. I have them over for dinner and movie and play games. It is a wonderful time of enjoying each other.

I scaled down on my decorating, only doing what I really enjoy doing and putting out what I really love.
I love the baking and the sharing aspect. Parties with friends and cantatas at church

I feel the same way. My sibs & I made a mutual decision about 19 years ago to stop sending each other gifts. We live all over the place--my nearest sib is at least 5 hours away and the others live 2-7 days drive from me. It's just foolish for us to spend all that money on postage. I do like to send Christmas cards and I'm one of those who writes "the Christmas Letter" but I only send it to our extended family, not to friends or coworkers. I love to bake cookies and I'm blessed to still have my DD17 who also loves to bake with me.

This really can (and should) be viewed as a matter of gift-giving in general, versus giving the gift of being together. Folks caught up in materialism (as most of us are, myself very much included in that) find far too much value in getting "things" and place way too little priority on spending time sharing experiences with family members.

You make an important point. Experiences shared are remembered long after our "things" have ceased to amuse us. I learned that lesson a few years ago when I woke up with vertigo about a week after Thanksgiving. I had vertigo for the next 4 weeks, all the way through New Years. I felt like poo! My tree needed to be decorated, presents needed buying, the decorations needed to go up, the cookies needed baking. But I couldn't get off the couch, I was so sick. So my kids, then 10&16, decided to do it themselves, together. They had a ball! We listened to Christmas music while they made slice&bake sugar cookies(oh, the horror!) The decorations were "interesting" and the tree wasn't done the way *I* would have done it, but they had such a great time together.

In fact, that Christmas changed the way we do things. I don't feel the need to decorate every flat surface. My DD17 is the one in charge of tree decorating. Rather than buying a lot of presents we decide as a family on a few activities that we'd like to do together, like ice skating, seeing The Nutcracker, attending a concert, or going to see a big light display. It's so much better now. I go through the holidays relaxed. I actually enjoy the holidays, instead of just enduring them.

 

[Colleen27]

I do dread it just a little, but only because I'm a huge introvert and all the visiting and socializing packed into a few consecutive days really leaves me drained. I like the traditions and getting to see everyone, it is just that how hectic it is wears me out. I look forward to a time when we can host more of the Christmas celebrations, rather than putting on a couple hundred miles over 3 days to make it to all the long-standing get-togethers.

At home we keep things pretty low-key, and we're sort of minimalist with the gift-giving because there's always just SO. MUCH. STUFF. from all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. With the extended family, we don't exchance among adults other than parent/child, so there's no pressure to find the perfect gift for the brother-in-law we only see on major holidays or anything like that. We really do focus on the fun traditions - cutting and decorating the tree, making cookies and candies, etc. - and that part I enjoy.

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

What I love:

• Playing Santa for my daughter
• Buying something unexpected and original for my husband
• Going to the mall on Christmas Eve day and people watching (as long as I am not one of the frantic last minute shoppers )
• Stepping outside on Christmas Eve night and listening to the silence (no traffic, etc.)
• Christmas Eve nibbles and cocktails
• The look on my daughter's face on Christmas morning
• Hanging out with my family between Christmas and New Year's (I always take that week off)
• Champagne and kisses on New Year's Eve (we stay in)

What I loathe:

• Christmas displays and MUSIC before Thanksgiving
• Crowds, crowds crowds
• Trying to get it all done----work parties, school parties, teacher gifts, shopping, decorating----without running out of time (all the while doing my normal daily stuff that I don't have time to get done anyway).
• Buying gifts for extended family

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I will admit to dreading the whole time from Thanksgiving until Jan 2. I admire those of you who find such joy and fun it the whole thing! DH and I look forward to a time when we can book a trip and be gone the entire holiday season! For now we muddle through and make the best of it.

 

[rie'smom]

I love Christmas and Christmas shopping to buy special presents for the people I love.

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

I love the decorations, the music and the cookies but I dread Christmas. My family, and many of my friends, are too materialistic. It ends up turning into who can give the biggest most expensive gift. I hate that. I actually don’t like giving gifts. I would rather just spend time together. Instead, Christmas turns into the worst day of the year. No matter how hard I try to change things, Christmas is always the same: We open up the gifts in the morning, eat an early dinner (around 2) then everyone goes their separate ways.

Honestly, Christmas makes me depressed.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I would love to vacation over Christmas. I don't like to bake, or wrap presents, or many of the "traditions" I would love to just spend the week at a resort with my family.

As it is i do what I like and stop at that so I don't get cranky. I make it special for my family but in a way that does not stress me out.

 

[marcyinPA]

I love Christmas more when I focus on why my family celebrates it. For me, it IS religious. (I don't love the word religious, by the way). For me, it is all about the birth of Christ and should have nothing to do with commercialism. I find that I dread it more when I get sucked into the secular part of it. We have been a lot more conscious about how we celebrate...less material stuff and more time spent doing things for others.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

I love Christmas. I guess I love the chance to show some extra love to the people who matter most. I do dread shopping for my aunts kids but thats cause there hard to shop for.

 

[mrsltg]

I LOVE Christmas! I look forward to it all year and love nothing more than seeing the decorations go up in the stores. I don't care that Target has put out their Christmas lights before Halloween. I love thinking about what to get my kids, imagining their faces on Christmas morning, wrapping their presents, and putting them under the tree. I LOVE thinking of something special to give my husband and planning how to make it happen. I love listening to Christmas carols and spending the day in my pjs with my four favorite people in the world. I love that I make a standing rib roast and set out the china and crystal and yet we eat in our pajamas?!?

Honestly, for me, it's not about what is bought, it is about the enjoyment for my family. These are memories we are making for our girls and I LOVE that they are all happy memories. So, would Jesus approve? I think so. Merry Christmas!

 

[Goofycampers]

I love Christmas for religious reasons, and the decorating, music, etc. ....but there is a part of me that dreads it a little because there is so much to do to get ready. I always say I'm gonna get ready early so I can enjoy it but never seem to have the time.

 

[qtwns]

I love Christmas! I cannot separate Christ from the season, but I absolutely get sucked into all aspects! When I start to get stressed from the hustle and bustle, I take a deep breath and remember that it is the season to focus on others and everything falls into perspective.

I haven't heard of the Movie What Would Jesus Buy. But it got me to thinking...what would Jesus buy me/my family this year. Hmmm...He'd buy me a 50" LCD TV for the family room to replace the smaller one we've been using temporarily since our family TV died. He knows I can't clearly see it from across the room on my comfy spot in the couch and He wants me to be relaxed and cozy and stop squinting at the screen. He'd also buy me a new SUV because He knows the van is about to croak and can't safely make the drive to WDW and our family REALLY needs a trip to the World soon! He'd also buy me new clothes because I've lost a lot of weight this year and everything I own falls off--He's really good about clothing the naked, ya know!

**Please know I am just really hoping that my husband reads this. Jesus has already given me the greatest gift of all.

 

[luvsJack]

I love Christmas. Love to decorate, love the baking, love going to programs and plays and all the special programs at church and the candlelight church services we have. All wonderful. But several years ago, the gift giving stress started overshining the things I loved.

Last year I thought long and hard about what was causing this stress and how to fix it. And, of course, it was the money the whole thing was costing. In years past when my sons were small, we didn't have a lot of money. We bought a nice gift or two (and usually put it on layaway so paid a little along starting in September) for them and then several cheaper things so that the tree looked full. They always loved seeing it all Christmas morning, loved everything they got and had a blast. Did the same thing when dd was very young. Those Christmases were stress free and exactly what I loved about Christmas, spending time with my children.

And then somewhere a long the way ALL the presents started costing more. And then we somehow got in the "I can spend more on Mom and Dad than you can" contest with dh's siblings. And I sorted felt like I needed to spend a mint on my mom just because my sister can afford to. Christmas started being more about "how can I pay for all this and still pay the bills?" I really and truly felt like I enjoyed Christmas more when we had less money. Sooo, I have changed all of that.

I started a Christmas savings club last year, so the money is already set aside. I have a WalMart card that I have been adding to here and there all year to buy the extra groceries with, so all the money needed is already there, no coming out of Nov. and Dec. budget. I will also change the way I buy for our parents. Something they will use and use UP. I have a budget for the kids and will tell them next week--this is what I am spending--what do you want? Or maybe this year I will just try to find those special things that are meaningful to them. Whichever. It won't be perfect and I won't try for perfect. It will be less than what I have been spending but that is ok too.

I am excited about Christmas again this year. Looking forward to finishing my shopping on black friday (because I love shopping that day) and then enjoying the season with my family. Baking, taking dgd to see all the Christmas decorations and Santa Claus, going to a ballet with dd, family game nights, reading the Christmas story.

And the biggest aspect of my changed Christmas? It really will be about Jesus and maybe not what he would buy but what he did.

 

[minkydog]

I haven't heard of the Movie What Would Jesus Buy. But it got me to thinking...what would Jesus buy me/my family this year. Hmmm...He'd buy me a 50" LCD TV for the family room to replace the smaller one we've been using temporarily since our family TV died. He knows I can't clearly see it from across the room on my comfy spot in the couch and He wants me to be relaxed and cozy and stop squinting at the screen. He'd also buy me a new SUV because He knows the van is about to croak and can't safely make the drive to WDW and our family REALLY needs a trip to the World soon! He'd also buy me new clothes because I've lost a lot of weight this year and everything I own falls off--He's really good about clothing the naked, ya know!

**Please know I am just really hoping that my husband reads this. Jesus has already given me the greatest gift of all.

Yeah, I think Jesus would want to buy me a motorhome cuz he knows how much I love RVing.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I LOVE Christmas! I look forward to it all year and love nothing more than seeing the decorations go up in the stores. I don't care that Target has put out their Christmas lights before Halloween. I love thinking about what to get my kids, imagining their faces on Christmas morning, wrapping their presents, and putting them under the tree. I LOVE thinking of something special to give my husband and planning how to make it happen. I love listening to Christmas carols and spending the day in my pjs with my four favorite people in the world. I love that I make a standing rib roast and set out the china and crystal and yet we eat in our pajamas?!?

Honestly, for me, it's not about what is bought, it is about the enjoyment for my family. These are memories we are making for our girls and I LOVE that they are all happy memories. So, would Jesus approve? I think so. Merry Christmas!

You sound like a sweet woman. I do think that each holiday deserves respect if it is going to be observed at all so it does bother me a little bit to feel like holidays get skipped over for Christmas. Yet I have been guilty of going to look at Christmas decorations as soon as they are up too because that is when I can see the displays before they are all torn up.

I love the scene you created in my mind of your family sitting down to a table set up with your prettiest dishes while you are still in your pajamas. The idea that only formal entertaining is the real thing is probably why so many people dread having guests.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I love Christmas! I cannot separate Christ from the season, but I absolutely get sucked into all aspects! When I start to get stressed from the hustle and bustle, I take a deep breath and remember that it is the season to focus on others and everything falls into perspective.

I haven't heard of the Movie What Would Jesus Buy. But it got me to thinking...what would Jesus buy me/my family this year. Hmmm...He'd buy me a 50" LCD TV for the family room to replace the smaller one we've been using temporarily since our family TV died. He knows I can't clearly see it from across the room on my comfy spot in the couch and He wants me to be relaxed and cozy and stop squinting at the screen. He'd also buy me a new SUV because He knows the van is about to croak and can't safely make the drive to WDW and our family REALLY needs a trip to the World soon! He'd also buy me new clothes because I've lost a lot of weight this year and everything I own falls off--He's really good about clothing the naked, ya know!

**Please know I am just really hoping that my husband reads this. Jesus has already given me the greatest gift of all.

Tee! Hee! I just saw Jesus shopping at Best Buy. Maybe he is getting that TV.

 

[Planogirl]

I enjoy buying gifts for people even though I do stress a little about the money. I get a big thrill out of hunting for that perfect something for someone and I always hope that it will please them. Money doesn't matter when it comes to gifts except when you find the right thing and it costs a lot.

Other than that the decorations are nice and so is the food and so on. I love Halloween though so I refuse to even acknowledge Christmas until Halloween is done.

 

[Colleen27]

What I loathe:

• Christmas displays and MUSIC before Thanksgiving

That's one that really gets me too. Some of the stores here actually went straight from back-to-school to splitting the seasonal space between Halloween and Christmas. I like the Christmas season a lot more when it doesn't run from September to January!

 

[klacey1]

I really just love everything about the whole Christmas season. Like PP said, we're all about the secular side of the holiday. I love going into the city to see the tree, driving around looking at decorations, baking, DBF's parents' annual Christmas Eve bash, AND buying presents. I think one can enjoy BOTH buying presents and imagining the look on the recipient's face AND spending time with my family and friends!
As soon as Halloween's over, it's all Christmas, all the time! Although I must admit, yesterday I baked salted caramel cupcakes and blasted Christmas music!