Is anyone making an effort to steer away from the over commercialization of the season?

What kinds of things are you doing?

Are you finding that it is saving you money as well as giving you a sense of well being?

Is anyone having "withdrawal" from the usual commercial Christmas things/events?

I'm really trying to keep CHristmas a religious celebration in our house. Dh is on board with that, too. It's the other relatives who go all out and celebrate Spendfest instead.
We planned some activities like going to see Christmas lights and watching Christmas shows like CHarlie Brown's Christmas. I'm also trying to get my two-year-old to make some decorations (or possibly gifts), but he keeps trying to eat the crayons.

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~Jeweled

Maybe it is easier b/c my kids are still so young. Altho, I think it also depends on how you "train them to think about Christmas". I try as much as possible to teach them about what Christmas is about.

When we see Christmas lights the kids say "Yeah, Christmas lights!" They love looking for them where ever we go.

We went the other day to a HUGE farmers market (our chiropractor has a "booth" there) Ds went to sit on Santa's lap and had no clue what to do. Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas and Jared had no clue that is what you do.

Our kids know that Christmas is about Jesus' birthday so they look forward to making a birthday cake for Jesus and singing happy birthday to him.

We let the kids stay up late last night and watch Snoopy Christmas program. They had so much fun. We put their PJs on, got their blankets and they laid on the floor with a big pillow. They were so ready for bed and no fighting them about staying in bed which was a huge blessing to us.

We love singing Christmas songs.

I think focusing on the true meaning of Christmas... its not about presents, its about telling the story of Mary and Joseph.

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Melanie.
Mum to Lillianlee- 1st September 2006.

Monkey Mia's Savings... (my blog)

Just depends on your household...my kids don't watch a lot of TV (because they're just not interested), so they're just not seeing a lot of the commercials for toys or gadgets or whatever. They're also just not the type of kids that ask for things and never have been. I actually often have a hard time buying gifts for them because they never want anything! LOL! That's their personality though...I know for my sister, her girls want EVERYTHING, all the time. I think a lot of it is their personality, and then of course, they watch TV constantly. My sister and her DH also buy the kids toys and all kinds of stuff, all year long. I think there is something important in waiting and wanting something...the anticipation of possibly getting it etc. *shrug* I don't know, Dh and I have just not bought a lot of things for our kids aside from Christmas and Birthdays. If they actually see something they want in July. They know they can put it on their Christmas List OR buy it with their allowance.

I think you can make your household what you want it to be for the holiday season. IMO you can do presents and Santa and ALSO do the story of Jesus etc We enjoy both at our house. We enjoy going to Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days like Christmas, Immaculant Conception etc We enjoy lighting the candles on the Advent Wreath at home, setting up a Nativity Scene and moving the Magi closer and closer until they reach it on Epiphany.

We enjoy getting together with family, making the same foods...enjoying each other, having parties, going to parties etc

along with santas gifts we include a gift from baby Jesus. It is for all the kids to share and is never a toy or anything like that. This year it is a beautiful childrens bible with easy to read stories. my husband gave me the idea when I was complaining about Christmas being too commercial. I loved the idea. It teaches children what Christmas is really about.

l love the idea of the gift from baby Jesus. I am going to have to borrow that.

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A Family of 5's quest to forget the Joneses.