Christmas, Love or Hate?

[Lukamu]

This is important to understand: I am not talking about the birth of Christ when I say "Christmas" in this post. I am talking about the American holiday experience of taking the week off, spending time with family, decorating the tree, baking cookies, and giving gifts. I am going through a little bit of a reform this year when it comes to Christmas - here's why...

First of all, it started when I was a teenager and my extended family watched as Grandpa handed me a gift saying "Here Lukamu, this one is to you from Grandpa!" As I started to excitedly open the present, my parents shouted "Wait! That says 'to Grandpa, from Lukamu!'" and I had to shamefully hand it back to Grandpa to see what was in it. The problem was that my parents bought a gift to give to Grandpa and put my name on it, maybe to make me look generous or something. I am not good at buying gifts for other people. Like getting Tupperware for Dad and Yo-Yo's for my 30-40 year old brothers-in-law. Christmas only highlights this fault to my close friends and family, and it makes me feel selfish and cheap.

Now you know the backstory. This year my wife asked me about getting presents for my brothers, and I came back at her with my "I hate Christmas and this is why..." charade. She didn't really respond to what I said, but I've been thinking about it, and I have come to the conclusion that I really could enjoy Christmas more if I planned out ahead of time what gifts I could give to friends and family. I really am just being selfish and taking the easy way out by saying "I don't give many gifts because I just don't like Christmas." It's a lot harder to admit that "I don't spend much time thinking about other people and what they might want, and as it gets closer to Christmas I get frustrated that I don't have presents for anyone and everyone else has their shopping lists already taken care of."

I really want to get better at Christmas, so I'm looking for ideas of what other successful Christmas shoppers do. Do I start shopping in November? Do I keep a list all year for when I think of good ideas for Aunt X and Uncle Y? For those of you who have a well-balanced Christmas experience, what do you do each year to get ready for the Christmas gifting season?

 

[dysert]

This is important to understand: I am not talking about the birth of Christ when I say "Christmas" in this post. I am talking about the American holiday experience of taking the week off, spending time with family, decorating the tree, baking cookies, and giving gifts. I am going through a little bit of a reform this year when it comes to Christmas - here's why...

First of all, it started when I was a teenager and my extended family watched as Grandpa handed me a gift saying "Here Lukamu, this one is to you from Grandpa!" As I started to excitedly open the present, my parents shouted "Wait! That says 'to Grandpa, from Lukamu!'" and I had to shamefully hand it back to Grandpa to see what was in it. The problem was that my parents bought a gift to give to Grandpa and put my name on it, maybe to make me look generous or something. I am not good at buying gifts for other people. Like getting Tupperware for Dad and Yo-Yo's for my 30-40 year old brothers-in-law. Christmas only highlights this fault to my close friends and family, and it makes me feel selfish and cheap.

Now you know the backstory. This year my wife asked me about getting presents for my brothers, and I came back at her with my "I hate Christmas and this is why..." charade. She didn't really respond to what I said, but I've been thinking about it, and I have come to the conclusion that I really could enjoy Christmas more if I planned out ahead of time what gifts I could give to friends and family. I really am just being selfish and taking the easy way out by saying "I don't give many gifts because I just don't like Christmas." It's a lot harder to admit that "I don't spend much time thinking about other people and what they might want, and as it gets closer to Christmas I get frustrated that I don't have presents for anyone and everyone else has their shopping lists already taken care of."

I really want to get better at Christmas, so I'm looking for ideas of what other successful Christmas shoppers do. Do I start shopping in November? Do I keep a list all year for when I think of good ideas for Aunt X and Uncle Y? For those of you who have a well-balanced Christmas experience, what do you do each year to get ready for the Christmas gifting season?

You nailed the idea that I do every year -- especially as people get older and gift-giving becomes even harder. You keep a list all year for everyone you're going to get gifts for. Whenever they say they'd like something or express an interest in something, make a mental note and then write it down. (I have to do this with my wife.) As December approaches, start buying things off your list. Actually, I try to be done buying by Thanksgiving so there's no pressure and little chance that I won't be able to find what I need in time. It's not hard. I just requires paying attention to what others are saying and then acting on it when the time is right.

 

[Take Heart]

Honestly, this is the first Christmas-that I can recall- that I've actually started buying presents ahead of time near the end of November. I make a list of all the people I'm getting Christmas presents for. I sort of made a budget goal of how much I plan to spend in total and then divide that total up for each person and how much they would roughly get. My list consists of my mom, brother, and my 1 close friend. That's it. My dad passed away 3 years ago.. but that's besides the point. For every other extended friends/relatives- my family just gives out 'on-sale- but good quality chocolate. It's fun really, once you get into it. I find that it was a lot more meaningful and exciting to give something to someone I knew and cared for and surprising them on Christmas/eve and just letting them know that I was thinking about them and that they deserve, something special on this day. It's only 1 year. Minus birthdays. In my heart, I celebrate it because of Jesus- not that He was born in this day, I full-well know that. But I celebrate that He came to earth in the likeness of us so that we can have everlasting life through faith in Him and so that we don't have to pay the just punishment of our sins ourselves. It's mind-blowing and beautiful at the same time. Merry Christmas, brother & to your family as well.