Planning a Provident Christmas

After 2 1/2 hrs. of waiting, we're almost in the store!

Black Friday has added a whole new meaning to Christmas…even more so, when the great pre-season ritual begins Thanksgiving eve. 

Never having fully experienced this “enduring” activity before, I joined my daughter-in-law Thursday “night” (and I use that term broadly, as it turned into a 10 hr. marathon which began at 8 PM Thursday and ended Friday at 6 AM. 

My daughter-in-law and other crazy people we stood in line with!

Most “enduring” about this tradition was the waiting. Most of that time was spent either circling Toys “or” Us, in a stand off of survival in the unseasonable cold weather of Mesa.  The “inner circles”  were equally tedious and long, but without the wind.  Adding to the insanity of the experience, we found ourselves using her cell phone to call other crazy people in the family who were in Utah doing the same thing, or checking Bev to see if she had found the things she was looking for.  

Crossing that experience off “my bucket list,” I can now revert back to my more rational life, and go about preparing for Christmas in a more provident way.

One of the burdens of both reading and TV watching, is that we are bombarded with grandiose illusions of what Christmas and every other holiday should be. When we add commercialization into the mix of “holiday cheer” the expectations become even more burdensome. 

We love our children, and grandchildren, and dote on them, but there comes a time when parents must simply, simplify and rein in the ruthlessness of rampant materialism which raises its head even higher in December.

So how does a provident person celebrate the real spirit of Christmas, or any other holiday? First we need to examine our own heart and evaluate how it aligns with the celebration. To do this we need to understand the underpinnings and core values of the holiday. When there is no personal spiritual connection to the real meaning of a holiday, whether it is Veterans Day, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, it is easy to give the occasion a materialistic makeover, and forget the reason for the season.

Once we acknowledge our commitment and belief in Christ, we can then plan Christ-centered activities instead of submitting to Santa’s substitute celebration. Activities which promote peace on earth and good will toward men should be our focus, events which promote on the real meaning of Christmas and bring lasting joy, not debt and depression. A provident person will choose wisely the better part. Often the simplest gifts are the best. 

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, cheerful service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”
     --Oren Arnold--

Simplifying Christmas does not make it any less important or fun for families. The youngest child as well as the oldest grandparent can equally can find joy in service and sharing. Here are some ideas:

--Orchestrate a “Pay it Forward” activity where you as a parent or grandparent make a cash donation to a family or individual with the challenge that they in turn use it to bless someone else’s life. When you “cast your bread upon the water, it will come back-- buttered.”
--Reenact the Nativity story with simple costumes, music, and Jewish foods. Play Dreidel, or a game from your own culture.

--Take a musical program to the Nursing Home; children can break a Piñata, and share the goodies. Sharing friendly handshakes with the elderly is important.
--Go caroling with other families, and learn the songs of Christmas.
--Host a neighborhood sing in, or wassail-fest where everyone shares favorite songs and Christmases past.
-- Organize a food or clothing collection for families who may need help this winter.

--The Twelve Days of Christmas was something our family as well as the Eberhard family, did for many, many years. We picked 2-3 families we could “bless” and surprise with 12 days of deliveries. This took some orchestration, but it was so fun hearing the delivery stories, and how they “almost” got caught.

Here are a few ideas for rhymes for the deliveries:

1) It's the first day of Christmas And we thought you'd like to know

We think you're really special, And it's time we told you so.

1)The trees look nice and frosty. But there's no partridge to be found

But pears are always welcome. So we left some on the ground.

2) On the second day of Christmas, 

We looked for Turtle Doves

These are really Wash and Wear 

And sent with all our love (Dove soap)

6) The six geese a laying, Will really have a ball

With balloons and streamer, You can decorate the hall.

-- Instead of a present, ask your children to write a story for you from their life, an experience that taught them something, or where they felt God’s love for them. These would be treasured more than perfume or necktie by any parent or grandparent. Steve’s oldest sister and her husband, are currently on their 4th mission, and don’t need “things.” But their 12 children take turns organizing a “story” topic for the year, and each sibling writes something for their parents. I know that book of stories is one that has been a real blessing to them over the past 15 or so years.

-- Read the scriptures with “real intent”, have children take turns sharing a scripture that to them exemplifies what Christ would do. Make plans as a family to orchestrate what you learned.
-- For a family activity, have each child add a piece a straw to your nativity scene, representing something specific that they will do as a gift to Christ this year. Or another version is to write what your gift to Christ will be, on a slip of paper, and everyone puts theirs in a box. After Christmas see if the rest of the family can guess what your gift was, by the changes you made.

--Families or neighbors can with you to tie quilts to donate to the hospital, or women’s shelter.
-- Make tree decorations together as a family, or decorate wreaths to hang on someone else’s door.
--Adopt a family, or a school class and provide something they need.

There are hundreds more equally good ideas which will reaffirm the goodness of mankind in the lives of others.  Plan now for a Merry Provident Christmas.

Pleasures for the “Simple” Minded

“Hoarding” was the topic on Oprah a few weeks ago. I felt smothered and claustrophobic just watching it. I could only stand it so long, and then I decided to step over my piles of laundry and papers, out to my flower beds which always revive me.  But alas,  they had the same symptoms as the house spotlighted on TV.

Hardy perennials were overgrown, Calendulas crowded their neighbors, and oregano spilled out of its allotted space like a tangled green octopus.  Inspired by the show, I started pulling out the overgrown and over productive plants, giving their less assertive neighbors more space, air, and sun.  I filled a whole wheel barrow in about 15 minutes, and it made such a difference.  There is something very liberating and need-satisfying about cleaning things out.  Everything needs space to breath and grow whether they be plants, homes, or teenagers. 

My Corner Contribution of recycled clutter that week only consisted of three things: an end table and two towels, but I was so glad when someone came by and retrieved them, and my front room now has a little more space because of it.  As I watched Oprah I was dumbfounded that anyone would literally have clothes piled high in EVERY room of their 3 level house.   I couldn’t help but think of all the humanitarian programs in need of good clothing.  That woman needed a cause to help her overcome her addiction so she and her husband simplify and reclaim their lives.  My worst nightmare would be to leave this life, with a huge mess for my children to take care of.  If we live another 20 years, maybe we’ll have the garage cleaned out!

After watching “The Hoarding Horror Movie," I next decided to clean out a corner shelf in our family room.  I found two undelivered wedding gifts, three misplaced recipe books, seven errant quilting books, and then Bonanza!-- a Prevention Magazine titled “The Simpler Way.” 

Just the titles of the articles confirmed my recent efforts:

--Cut the clutter and have more “breathing Space”.  (Already I know my plants are happier!)

--Rev-up your energy and feel great! (Ripping out weed and overgrowth --What a rush!)

--Say Good-bye to Personal “Money Robbers!”  (We become rich because of the things we do without, not because the things we buy.)

--And Move into a Larger House—Without Moving!  (When there is less “stuff” in a house, it’s less stuffed, and it is bigger!)

Simple living is the goal of provident living, and without knowing it most of us have built layers and layers of complexity around us.  We have more gadgets, appliances, CDs, toys, and tools than we can keep track of, much less store.   Gandhi once wrote, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”  When we declutter we let go of the things that entangle us, so we can “stroll” through life with greater grace and ease.  That means getting rid of entanglements.

  Another great mind, Albert Einstein knew a few things also about being focused and organized.  His mantra:

--Out of clutter, find simplicity

--From discord, find harmony

--In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

While you work to reclaim your life and your home, it helps to change things up throughout the work day.  A 20 minute nap is a great recharger.   Mix seat work, with tasks that require movement.  And them Mom’s famous quote: “A change is as good as a rest,” which I truly believe.  Well, that’s the summary of that little booklet, which was really designed to sell a bigger book…now it’s processed and tossed away, and I feel good-- and motivated!  Hope you do too.  Let me hear about your success stories: 42janetkw@gmail.com