Quit Feeling Guilty!

Most of my posts this Christmas season have been about making gifts, giving of ourselves to others, and basically not to make such a big deal out of buying all those expensive gifts for Christmas. But what if you can't give and make a gift for every single person in your extended family or for all of your friends? My friend, you are not alone! This is economically one of the worst years for people in the United States. Unemployment is tragically high, we're still paying for a war, and people are just not making the money they are used to. So why do you feel so guilty about it this year????

I can tell you why - because you have been conditioned to feel badly about it. Big name retailers, media, and everyone else have conditioned people to buy, buy, buy or they are truly not celebrating Christmas! Let's get real here for a minute. Christmas was the celebration of the simplest gift there is - the creation of a family and the birth of a Savior. It took the wise men about 2 years to bring their gifts to the Savior and I don't believe they felt one bit guilty about it. I can honestly say that I don't believe it was on His actual birthday, either.

We've been conditioned to believe that if we're not roasting chestnuts, decorating trees, hanging lights, and shopping our butts off that we're not celebrating correctly! But what did they do before they had electricity? They lit candles. People bought or MADE a single gift to give to others. If they didn't have the resources, they gathered together and enjoyed each other. Why has family become a dirty word? Why do we feel that we can't even take one day away from ball games and our own personal issues to just enjoy the company of others? Why do we think that our families are people to be avoided at all costs every day of the year? I am so thankful for my family. All 5 kids, my husband of 15 years, my crazy mom, brother, and sister and all of their crazy kids and wives or husbands will gather on Christmas day to eat a meal and laugh with each other. I will treasure that moment in my heart this year, next year, and every year I am able to. Last year we lost a beautiful soul just days before Christmas. I missed her (and still do) beyond belief and wish I had just ONE MORE Christmas with her. I found the last gift bag she gave me the other day. It's funny how little things like that become so important. I remember and still have the gift, but I treasure that gift bag now. It was her hand that touched it, that picked it out, that signed it, and that will never again be able to touch or hold mine again.

My request from all of you is that you take this one day to celebrate birth. Birth of connecting with your family, the start of new traditions, the birth of a new year, or simply whatever grows in your heart. Get back into the family part of Christmas. Love who God has given you to love, or love someone that has never known it. You never know where the next Christmas will see you, but enjoy each one for what it is, not for what you can give or get.

Merry Christmas