What Is It Really About?

***Farm Hunting Update - Hooray!!  They found the septic system.  And guess what??  It is FULL of icky stuff!!!!  I will leave out all of the details regarding the consistency and such. :)  The current owners kindly offered to have it pumped, so we are taking them up on that offer.  Oh yes we are!!  So we enter our new home with 2 500 gallon tanks ready and able to hold our..."stuff."***

What Is It Really About?

Thanksgiving has drawn to a close and the Christmas season begins!  Our family usually begins that season with a day out in the country cutting down our Christmas tree, followed the next day by a family decorating party.  This year we are waiting to cut the tree until we get moved, so we just had a tree decorating party!



Our food theme this year was finger foods!

AcCOWntant Willie LOVES my Christmas punch!

The girls watching as Daddy turns the tree lights on!

Most years our tree takes up the entire window.  Though
this one is smaller,
 she is still a beauty!  This tree holds our homemade ornaments.

We have gone pretty light on the Christmas decorations knowing that in 2 1/2 weeks we will have to take them all down and pack them up to move!




 

This tree is in the dining room and this year is holding
our special ornaments.
  Every time we travel, we pick ornaments up and each year we
 get each girl a special
 ornament, usually with a theme. 

Several years ago, our family decided to give up Christmas gifts and instead leave for a trip each Christmas on Christmas Day.  We have had so much fun going many different places and skiing, hiking, playing together and generally just being a family!  It is something we look forward to each year and really a time that we can just all recharge ourselves and strengthen our relationships with each other.

 

Our Christmas trip in 2007

There have been several benefits to doing this in addition to the ones mentioned above.  One big one is that it has completely cured our "I wanna...."'s regarding Christmas gifts.  One benefit that I appreciate is that I don't have to get out into the stores when everyone is fighting over items, their place in line, etc. 

 

Trip 2009

They do get items in their stockings on Christmas morning, and gifts before Christmas from their grandparents, so don't go away thinking they are soooo deprived!!!  Also, remember that we discuss it every year to make sure everyone is still on board with the arrangement and so far they prefer it.  Of course, DD #4 really does not have anything to compare it to as it is all she has ever done!!

 

Leaving for last year's Christmas trip to Estes Park, CO!

 

Once we cleared away the gift work, we had to figure out how to make the season matter!  How to make it represent what we felt it should.  In order to do this, AcCOWntant and I had to figure out "What is it really about"?

Well, we knew that it was not really about the gifts and such from the get go.  And our standard answer was that it was about celebrating the birth of Jesus.  But what does that really mean?  And honestly, how do you REALLY celebrate the birth of Jesus?  I mean, we have always had a Jesus birthday cake on Christmas Eve to remind us of what we are there for.  And we have several nativity sets that we put up in our home.  But is that enough?

 

Was it enough to acknowledge that it is a celebration of Christ, throw in a few "Godly" ornaments, and give up gifts for family time?  I mean, I say Merry Christmas when I see people in stores instead of Happy Holidays and I try to always throw some money into the Salvation Army red bucket, but again, was it enough?  If it is a holiday celebrating Christ, was I spending a majority of my time concentrating on Christ like I would if it were one of my girls' birthdays or do I spend a majority of the time stressing about parties, food, decorations, cards, scheduling fun activities, crafts, etc?

 

Gingerbread House decorating party

 

For us, we were not doing enough.  And probably we will never do enough.  Because frankly, how do you adequately celebrate the fact that God chose to come to earth in human form, live a human life and die a criminal's death for us?  Just because he loved us and thought we were worth it. 

 

Yes, AcCOWntant and I saw a need for some changes to come around and come around soon!! 

 

I can't wait to share with you what changes we implemented, but I think I will do this a little at a time.  Kinda like a series!!!  I have already written a looooong post today, so I will tell you a little more about it tomorrow, sound good?!?

So, as you go through your day today and you start to look at your family's Christmas season, ask yourself "What is it really about to my family."  Your answer may be very different from mine, and that is okay!  But think about it, we devote around one month to this season and a LOT of money.  So take some time today to figure out what your purpose is and then look at the activities you are investing in and see if they align with your purpose.

 

I can't wait to tell you more tomorrow!!  See y'all then!