Reframing the Gimmies

This blog really spoke to me today.  In many ways, Eric and I have been contemplating our upbringings and what we intend to pass on to our children. 

Rage Against the Minivan - Let’s bring the holidays down a notch

Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were a big deal in our house.  My parents did a great job of hiding presents at Christmas, covering all of their tracks, and convincing us they had nothing to do with them.  Easter was just as fun... Easter egg hunts with real hard-boiled and blown eggs we decorated the night before.  Easter baskets from the Easter Bunny with a book, some candy, maybe a Pez dispenser and a few more home-decorated eggs.  Dad telling us every Easter that he caught the Easter Bunny and we were going to have rabbit stew for lunch (followed by shrieks of dismay from the four girls and laughs from the two older boys).

Holidays like St. Patrick's Day got us some more attention to our outfit that day and a shamrock-shaped note in our lunch box.  Valentine's Day was a box of last-years' clearance Valentines and MAYBE a Jolly Rancher scotch-taped to it if it was a big year.

Quote:

All of them woke up and came into our room like it was Christmas morning.

Did a leprechaun visit?
Can we search for him?
Did he leave a pot of gold?
Let’s go find the gold coins!
I bet he left chocolate!

So. Many. Expectations.

This actually brought me back to Christmas, and what our church Jacob's Well does for the Advent season.  The Advent Conspiracy website explains the concept pretty well.  Don't overspend beyond your limits, and spend on gifts that matter and will be appreciated and remembered.  Focus on Christ's coming during Advent rather than stressing over gifts you can't afford.  Giving more to those around us of our time and presence, not just presents.  Giving from the financial excess of our lives to those truly in need - in our case, the Pokot region of Kenya.  

I've been wondering how to bring our children into this alternative way of thinking about Christmas with all of the pressures of our society.  And I remembered this.

In the month leading up to Christmas 2011, I bought a huge set of Thomas train die-cast toys and tracks from a mom in our church for $10.  She was apologetic because they were so well worn.  My son, however, was about 1 1/2 years old and was thrilled.  He had no idea they weren't brand new and didn't care.  He's playing with them right now.  They are still his favorite toys.  And my friend's son had chosen those toys to sell "in hope of Christmas booty."

So I have a proposition.  Advent 2013, I'm thinking about hosting a "Toy Exchange."  Very similar to a clothing exchange... bring toys chosen by our children to pass on, spread them out in a room like a garage sale sorted by age, and everyone gets a fair opportunity to chose.  Extra toys get donated.  In my mind, this has several advantages.

1.  Children get to participate in dealing with the reality of excess in our culture by choosing toys to pass along- we don't need more toys... but it's really nice to have "new to us" toys!

2.  Some toys are barely used before they are outgrown and never touched again.  This is especially true at young ages - but I'd love to hear input from parents with older kids on this one!

3.  No dealing with all the excess packaging on Christmas morning.  This has bothered me for a long time.  Not only are we spending on things we really don't need or sometimes even want, we also end up with garbage bags full of trash of twist ties, styrofoam padding, plastic packaging, cardboard, and wrapping paper to go to the landfill.  Something about this just has me imagining Jesus scratching his head.

Now, let me be clear... there's nothing wrong with new toys!  But perhaps we can be a bit wiser with our financial, environmental, and time resources this Advent season.

So, who's with me?  November 2013.  I'm already excited.  

Upon reading this, Eric started singing Derek Webb's "Rich Young Ruler"  Enjoy!