Buy Nothing Christmas

No, this isn't a post all about the Mennonite group who try to go against the over-consumption ways of our country... its about not buying Christmas gifts this year. Like, at all.

Plain and simple: Christmas gifts - for others or for our own little family - does not work into the budget and so its been a humbling process over the last month or so to tell everyone that uh well, we ain't givin any gifts this year.

The irony about this is that this is the first Christmas in at least eight years where I've actually been in the gift-giving, cheery spirit. Oh well, let's hope that warm and fuzzy feeling lingers til this time next year and we're actually able to to dole out a gift or ten.

I love that its a week before Christmas and I haven't set foot in a department store or a shopping mall, nor have I done online shopping or waited in line at the post office to mail that special package. I don't feel guilty about this, its not like any of our family members are truly in need of things they couldn't get elsewhere. Its not like our little family is destitute and has a long list of things that would be nice to find under the tree (we don't have). We're extremely blessed in this fine country of ours. This year, perhaps more than ever, I have been reminded of that in new and beautiful ways. I'm thankful for our lack of extra spending money this holiday season, its making me really focus on what and who is important and really, that's all I need.