I do have to admit that I already went and got the kids some things for Christmas with our tax return money, (which I can't discuss here since they read this).
Does the "Traditional gift" still exist?
You can go either way with this one and for me, I can see this both ways.
NO, that traditions mainly have failed to carry on. The fact that most families do not have the close knit units they once were have a large part in this. Today's family (if you can even use the term "Family"that anymore) are more mobile and always "On the move", seperated, and spread across the country or even the planet. With this I can agree that most times, there are no traditions we could hold on to. Who can manage to stay in touch with family members we never see? To complicate matters more, we have to contend with divorces, seperations, and ex-spouses who are unwilling to share time with the "other parent" for either emotional or financial reasons. Now be honest, who can really shell out $1000 for a plane ticket for one child to spend 5 days (or less), with the -other. part of their family, plus we are not even taking into consideration the price of everything that goes along with that type of thing!?!
YES, there are some traditions which can (and are) carried on today, even with some of the extreme barriers prevsiously mentioned. A good example is pajamas. For me, I remembered that every Christmas, my Grandmother(s) would get me pajamas. Every year I would get a new pair. It was one of the first memories I remember about Christmas Eve and how we spent them. Every year the family would all gather at my "Little Grandma's to spend time together. We would all arrive and eat dinner and then do the normal Christmas things. And at about 8 years old, I realized that I was looking forward to a new set of pajamas. It is the way I remember my Grandmother(s) and Christmas.Our solution for the "traditional item"? Now, The kids all receive a new set of pajamas from my Mom. They have not received them enough to have it sink in yet, but it will. I actually told my Mom that this is a tradition that she needed to start. One they would remember for all time. Now you tell me, what is better than a memory of your Grandmother giving you a warm and soft set of pajamas to curl up with to sleep in at Christmas time? There isn't anything better than a memory of loving Grandparents than that.
Currently, we are trying to think up a traditional item for Charlene (Grandma Teenie) to do with the kids. She always makes them lots and lots of really wonderful things. The only thing is there is nothing consistent. We will have to work on that one a bit longer. [Teenie, if you have an idea for this, e-mail me or just call so we can get it going now!]
The Gift they never knew they always wanted! One of the things I do know is that once a friend sent me this graphic, I had to identify with it. The kids have received to many things from Santa in years past. Sure, they get clothes and the normal things kids should receive. The part where we try and make up for our past where we wanted to have something and never got it because we either thought to wait till the time was better or we didn't have the money (like now) to pick up things we really wanted. I remember getting things for Jon which were things I wanted when I was younger and you could see the thinking in his mind, "WOW!, this is great and I really like it", (but where did the idea for this come from!). Things like that stick with you when your looking at them playing with the toys and games which they received, and had never seen or even knew existed.
MUFFY Example: It is the same idea as buying someone a VW Bug. They knew they wanted a car and something fun to drive, but were completely amazed once getting into a bug. It is kind of the overwhelming flood of emotions which you can't come down from easily.
REDNECK Example: You have been drinking soda-pop and juice for all of your life. But you get a drink of a good cold beer and the flavor throws you back. You are not really ready for the taste and sensation but for most, it is a good thing. (BTW, this removes the alcohol issue from the conversation, its a comparison silly, DOH)
To be continued when time allows. I will realign the post so it is at the current level instead of way down in the archives.
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