Unexpected Visitors

by | Nov 27, 2008 | Holidays

The past week I’ve been a little mopey.  We had no one coming to dinner.  On Thanksgiving…no family…no friends.  Our friend and neighbor was coming by…but not for dinner, just for leftovers.  My parents were being charitable by helping serve dinner for the needy at their church…but it meant they weren’t coming.

Then last night as I was setting up to make the pies, and run to Wal Mart to get out of Archie’s hair while he mopped pick up a few last minute items.  The phone rang.  It was my mom wanting to know our plans for the Holiday.  I told her we’d be eating about 1:30 but our day was otherwise wide open.

In surprise she mentioned that would be when they were done at the church, and they didn’t want to disturb our dinner.

I just blinked in surprise, and said “Your dinner will be done by 1:30?!”

She said that yes, the dinner ran 11-1. 

So…I invited them to dinner.  My mom actually hesitated because she didn’t want to “invite herself over.”  But they’re coming to dinner.  A day with just the five of us…has become a day of family! 

It makes me very happy…despite the last minute guests…I had plenty of food anyway (I always make too much – leftovers, you know).

So what can you do?

by | Nov 25, 2008 | Holidays

Yes, I’m on that subject again.  But while I’ve mentioned that we’re going to alter our Holiday this year, I haven’t really gone into what we’re going to do…and what you can do to do the same.

For our family charitable event, we’ve signed up for Adopt A US Soldier.  I can’t imagine anything more important than to send some of our troops caring support.  I’m hoping to send a care package, even if they may not get it by Christmas, they’ll get it soon after.  Even if you can only send a letter…isn’t it worth it to brighten the day of a man or woman that is fighting for our country?! Even if you don’t agree with the war, you can support our troops!

Did you know that the current economic climate isn’t just affecting you and me…but innocent pets?!  I received a letter today about a local shelter that is beyond capacity.  On Sunday they received 16 abandoned dogs ALONE!!  How can you help?  Well, if you can’t adopt a furry critter…consider taking one in as a foster pet.  Help ease the burdon on the shelters, possibly save an animal’s life!! 

Monetary donations are another idea.  Think of a type of charity you’d like to help out.  Cancer research, Sick Children and their Families, the Homeless, in the US (or your country) or Abroad.  Not sure of a specific charity you’d like to contribute to?  Do a search for an appropriate charity.  My biggest advice here is…even after finding a charity via a site like that, RESEARCH the charity thoroughly yourself.  Make sure your funds are going toward the cause more than someone’s pocketbook.  Some of the bigger charities line their pockets as much/more than their own mission (I won’t name names…but at least one of them the company I used to work for tried to force me to contribute to, I refused on ground of priniciple).  So research yoru charity, then donate.  Even just a few dollars can help!  I think we all know which charity I support most.

And of course…your time.  Find a local shelter, a soup kitchen, a church that does something for the holidays.  From project Angel Tree, to serving meals to the homeless or homebound, most churches perform some action.  Donate your time…it’s more valuable than anything.

*****

I know…not your typical post from me…but I’ve been bitten by the bug.  And the letter about the animal shelter broke my heart.  I hope you find some way to make your holidays more joyous this year!!

(Sorry…I’ve been knee deep in graphics and coding since yesterday trying to create 4 new semi-matching layouts for me and BFF and our soon-to-be-open review site, my soon-to-be-re-opened writing blog, and finally a halfway decent layout for this site.  I’m a little cross-eyed and short on creativity for posting about now :D)

The Death of Santa

by | Nov 17, 2008 | All About Family, Holidays

For the past ten years we have perpetuated the myth of the man.  We have struggled and scrimped and saved to continue the tale of a jolly elf.  We have gone without gifts to ensure that Brandon had lots of gifts from us and Santa.  Last year our budget for all three kids was $500…I won’t say how overbudget we went…but our tree was overflowing.  We had disasterous pictures with the man in red.  We had a blowout of Christmases like we’d never had before. 

For the past two years I’ve doubted that Brandon still believed…but the Christmases got bigger as if to reassure him that it was.  I’ve continued to push and perpetuate the myth. 

I spoke a few weeks ago about our plan to simplify Christmas this year.  That we decided that just because we COULD have a big Christmas didn’t mean that we should.  I was nervous about confronting this fact with Brandon.  How would he react, and what would he say? 

Over the weekend at our family dinner we discussed the matter.  Brandon took it with ease.  He admitted that it had been “a while” since he really believed in Santa.  He has started thinking of appropriate charities to choose for his donation.

And now as I sit here watching the toddlers race around the room I’ve realized something.  This year we will see the the death of Santa…the commercialized version.  Our girls won’t learn of Santa in the way Brandon did.  When we teach them about Santa – they’ll learn of thim being the essence of the holiday spirit.  The spirit of giving, not the spirit of hoarding and gathering.  Here, in this house, his image will represent something different than he ever has before. 

Christmas will be about me fililng the house with the smell of hundreds (yes, I do mean that-last year I made 50+ dozen…and we ate them all) of fresh baked cookies.  Of preparing a care package for a soldier (our family charitable effort).  Of making homemade gifts for family and each other, and spending very little on ourselves.  Of donating to a worthy cause as individuals and a family.*

So this year the man in red will be put to rest as he’s been known.  And I’m okay with that.  I hope that the commercial santa rests in peace.  Around here I think our softer version of Santa is a far sight nicer.

*Not bad for a family with a ‘heathen’ as a heart warmer, eh?

Christmas/Yule will be different this year…

by | Oct 25, 2008 | Holidays

Five years of Christmas together under our belt.  The first year was good – big, lots of presents for all.  After that our money troubles really started to form.  Two jobs still didn’t allot too much for Christmas.  It went down to buying for Brandon, and being happy with that.  When Riley and then Angel were born, we satisfied ourselves with a few small presents for them since they wouldn’t remember and attempting to make Brandon’s Christmas’s big. 

Last year we managed to pull together the money for a big Christmas.  Piles of presents under the tree, wrapping paper everywhere.  Then getting together with teh family and MORE presents there.

This year we could do that again if we wanted to.  We could spend hundreds of dollars and put piles of presents under the tree – toys that would be destroyed by el-distructo (Angel), toys that would be ignored and forgotten like every other toy in the house.  Boxes of clothes that would get an “oh” from Brandon and thrown aside.

But we’ve talked about it…and we don’t want to do it.  We’re going to let Brandon know that our plan for the holiday this year is this:

1. The kids will each get one ‘big’ gift this year.  For the girls it will be something smaller, for Brandon it will be one big gift.  He can give us some options and we’ll figure it out.

2. Brandon will pick a charity and we’ll donate $50-100 (we haven’t set the amt yet) to that charity in his name.

3. Handmade gifts will be encouraged…even if it’s something silly.

4. Archie and I will get gifts for each other this year – but we’ll have a spending limit of $20 and it should be meaningful.

5.  We will find something charitable to do for the family.

It just suddenly hit me the other day that just because we HAVE the money doesn’t mean we need to SPEND it…not on a bunch of stuff that will go by the wayside or get torn up.  If we put some of our money and time to things and people that need it we’d appreciate it more in the end. 

Now I just have to get some motivation inside of me to have the patience to sit down with the kids and do crafts with Christmas in mind…and use THOSE to decorate my house instead of spending tons of money on decorations from the store.

I hate Halloween

by | Oct 1, 2008 | Holidays

My mother hated Halloween, and I guess she passed it on to me.

Walking around to stranger’s houses and begging for food.  Bratty teenagers creating havoc performing more tricks than treats.  The cost/hassle of costumes, pumpkins. 

I was predestined to dislike it. 

Then during high school my dad’s employee vehicle was egged.  The neighborhood we lived in was filled with the rich, snobby kid set…and it sort of sealed Halloween’s fate for me.

I hated it.

As Brandon has gotten older, my dislike grew.  I leave my house dark, not like our neighborhood gets many hits (it’s sort of off the beaten path) anyway.  I have Archie take Brandon out, the girls don’t go (Riley went her first year, Angel has never gone).  I cringe and blah my way through the day.

So why am I finding myself getting excited now?  Planning on going to the pumpkin patch for the harvest festival/corn maze?  Getting ideas for pumpkins that don’t necessarily involve carving?  Recipes for pumpkin-involved dishes?  Thinking of cheap, easy costumes to MAKE for the girls?  Why do I have visions of them dressed as a princess and an angel? 

Is it possible that…I’m starting to…LIKE Halloween?  Or at least get interested in it? 

Or am I just facing serious mental illness?  Because I’m also already making plans to expand our Christmas decorations, too…which I’ve always done (planned), but never followed through on…