Holiday Horrors

It is the time of the year that I have grown to dread. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas and the meaning behind it, I just hate what it has become. The stores here have had Christmas in the aisles since September. I had a hard time getting Halloween costumes for my boys, because the shelves had been cleared for Christmas. There is so much commercialism this time of year that it can make a person ill.
I am not of the 'old mind set' mind you, but I do miss when people thought more about family and friends than what gifts they would get. My fondest memories are of going to Grand-Mum's on Christmas Eve and seeing all of the family in one place. I would catch up with family that I only saw once a year, we all had our roles in the meal preparation. My cousin and I were in charge of the shrimp salad. Now this salad was a green salad that just had shrimp in it, but by the time my cousin and I got the salad to the table the shrimp was gone lol. Every year we were in charge of it and every year the shrimp salad would be shrimp-less. I think it took Grand-Mum 2 years to finaly buy an extra can of shrimp. After the meal and caroling we would go look at Christmas lights, this was back when the houses didn't just take a string of lights and throw them in the trees. People took the time to get a ladder out and string the lights nicely. Nowadays you can't even go to the neighborhoods that were known for their lights and enjoy them. People just don't want to take the time to hang them any more.
So now as a parent I am trying to show my boys the way Christmas is meant to be celebrated, with Church Services and family gatherings. I limit how many gifts they get every year from me and other family. They get one gift from me, 2 from santa plus their stockings and anyone buying them gifts cannot go over a set limit. I think it is working so far, whenever my oldest is asked what he wants he says, I don't need anything, I already have my family and friends and that is enough. This year on his own he chose a little girl's name from the sharing tree and bought her an outfit and with my help a baby doll for her to cuddle. He used his entire paycheck on her gifts instead of buying something for himself. Now if only he would be that selfless the entire year.