Reading books from the 19th and early 20th centuries, I'm always struck by just how much Christmas has changed. If you dive into a copy of Emily of New Moon, you'll read about how excited she was to receive a new apron and a fancy ribbon for her hair. It's a far cry from the iphones and Poopsie surprise unicorn that literally poops glitter slime (whywhywhywhyyyy).
Even in my childhood, I remember going through the Sears catalogue and circling every toy that caught my eye. Looking back, the amount of presents we received was ridiculous, as was the expectation that we'd somehow be able to keep our rooms clean when every surface was covered by forgotten toys. The stress of it all was so invisible, and yet so immediate.
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| The cost of clutter |
The financial strain, the constant mess and clutter, the pressure on my parents to spoil us in a way they'd never been able to experience. And there was the pressure on us kids to try and somehow keep things tidy. The threats that if we didn't clean our rooms, our parents would take away the toys that were causing the clutter in the first place.
Looking back it all feels so unnecessary. I wish that my family hadn't been so sucked into the materialism of those days, but it was all but impossible not to be. If you didn't buy your kids several boxes of legos and a dozen new Barbies, could you even call yourself a parent? You didn't want your kid to be the only one left out of the fun of unwrapping 30 presents and leaving an ungodly amount of wrapping paper in the living room. Even our stocking stuffers were wrapped!
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| Christmas morning mess |
But my holidays weren't all about materialism. There was driving around the neighbourhood looking at the Christmas lights. Walking around the block after the first snow. Spending all day outdoors playing with the neighbour kids, and helping mom decorate cookies.
It was getting dressed up and going over to my grandparents for their annual Christmas party. Stuffing myself with buttertarts and dill pickles and dozen other appetizers while I listened to my grandpa Henry play the organ and my mom sing my granny Alice's favourite Christmas carol.
These are the things that I think of when I think about my grandparents. When I look back on my childhood, it was the excitement of our get-togethers that I miss, far more than the anticipation of another store-bought Christmas gift. And while I value that my parents sacrificed so much to give us what they thought was a good Christmas, I resent the stress and strain it caused our family in the long run.
So with all of that being said, here are some of my tips for keeping Christmas stress-free!
1. Stay Away From the Mall
If you're an introvert, I'm sure for most of you this is a given. Even those of you out there who regard yourselves as extroverts can readily admit that the mall at Christmas time is the most stressful, claustrophobic place to be. Instead, try your local shops. Those away from the malls that have unique or hand-made items. Crafts fairs are also a wonderful place to find thoughtful and useful items for gifts.
2.Go for Experiences Rather Than Things
Take the sustainability factor up a notch by aiming to purchase experiences that can create bonding time for you and yours. My sister and I began going to Paint Nite together and thoroughly enjoyed it. We came away with paintings that we had created together, along with some good memories and a ton of laughs.
Last year my spouse got my a gift certificate to go snorkeling with the seals with a local diving company. It was a great trip that we won't soon forget, especially since we decided to go in the middle of winter...
3. Make Time for Your Family
4. Reach Out to Your Community
The holidays can be a particularly difficult time for everyone, but especially those who don't have close friends and family to rely on. If you are lucky enough to live near your support system, it only seems right to give back a little. Use that money you aren't spending to give to the local food bank, or volunteer a few hours for a good cause. Inviting your loved ones to come along could also be a good way to create lasting memories.
5. Reflect on the Past Year
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