Is it worth it?

Is all the madness and mania of Christmas worth it? It seems like Christmas starts earlier and earlier every year. I know there are some people who start shopping for it many months or even a year ahead of time. Is it really necessary to spend a year preparing for one day? In doing this can that one day live up to the expectations of those who put so much emphasis on it? For me the answer is no.

I've thought about the reasons that I have no Christmas spirit. I did my baking, half-heartedly put up the Christmas tree and watched the Christmas movies. I do have to say that I enjoy the older Christmas shows like Charlie Brown, the original Miracle on 34th street and It's a Wonderful Life. Still I feel that there are too many expectations put on one single day of the year. The joy and spirit of Christmas would be so much better if instead of being on one certain day, it was spread out over the year. Wouldn't it be a novel idea to give someone a gift because we felt like it instead of because it was required since it was Christmas?

It's really sad that Christmas has become so commercialized...that people feel the need to outdo what they did last year, buying their children bigger and better gifts. The kids come to expect it too and it's hard to get them out of that mindset when those are the traditions they grew up with. I'm guilty of this myself. When my 3 girls were younger I probably spent close to $1000 on each of them for this one day of the year. I remember one particular year when i went way overboard. They got a homemade 3 story wooden Barbie doll house built by their Dad and great grandpa. I spent a lot of money furnishing it and making sure every room had all the necessities that any little girl could want. That same year I made a whole new wardrobe for their cabbage patch dolls. They had a lot of them too! My youngest daughter got a Fisher price kitchen and all the pots, pans, playfood etc they they made to go with it. This is only a small part of what they got but anyhow the point is....when we give our kids so much stuff like this then much of it is not appreciated. They are overwhelmed. The next year they expect even more.

Thankfully I finally woke up and realized that what I was doing was crazy. My son...not being raised the same way seems to appreciate things so much more and he is satisfied with whatever he does get. I'm just glad I'm not that same person anymore. I fell for the madness and the greed. Never again....

I would love nothing more to NOT celebrate Christmas in the traditional manner. I'd love to just celebrate the Pagan holidays which are more nature orientated and make homemade gifts and totally dismiss all the turmoil. There are so many Christmas traditions that were once considered ancient Pagan traditions...even the putting up of a Christmas tree. One of these days when my son is grown I may celebrate this holiday as I would really like to.....
Blessings all