This was my baby's first Christmas and I thought I would have been more excited, but it was really depressing. We live in the Toronto area and my husband's parents and family live in Montreal. Every year we make the 6 hour car trip for the holidays. We usually stay about 4 days. This year because of the carseat and baby we had to rent a van as my DH could not bare to leave our dog in the kennel over Christmas (yes, he's very sweet). Anyway it's the same every year - way too many presents, too much food, too much of everything. It seems that Christmas has lost all meaning to me. It's just running around buying gifts, hurrying to get everything ready and then a long car trip there and back again and a week to recover from it all. Just before Christmas I actually found gifts in my basement that I received 2 years ago that were still in the packages. Ok I know this all sounds so poor me, but, I would really like to re-invent Christmas for next year. Less presents especially for the adults and more fun and of course more meaning. I don't think anyone will go for drawing names, or stealing gifts or secret santas. I would like to know your special traditions in hopes that it might inspire me to create some new ones in our family. Thanks.

By Melanie on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 09:22 pm:

Perhaps your family members could team up to adopt a family for Christmas. I have done this with friends and it was a wonderful experience.

By Mrsheidi on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 09:36 pm:

I think it was Bea that had a really good one...
she buys her kids four gifts:
1. Something they want
2. Something they need
3. Something to wear
4. Something to read

She said that, at first she wasn't sure how they would take the tradition, but that they loved it and even made her label each one. It makes it so much more special and incorporates a great tradition. I think we are definitely doing that with ours!
We celebrate Jesus' birthday by baking a cake and putting "Happy Birthday Jesus" on it. My step-mom started that tradition on Christmas eve. We all sing Happy Birthday and then we all blow out the candles at the same time! It's fun! Reminds us of who's birthday we are celebrating.

By Heaventree on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 09:42 pm:

Hi Melanie,

Could you provide more information, where did you find the family? Through your church? What's the process, what did you do for this family?

By Yjja123 on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 11:52 pm:

Another suggestion is to participate in operation shoebox. My family makes it a game of who can fit the most items in their shoebox. The shoeboxes are shipped all over the world to underprivledged children. We each do one.
We also participate in the angel tree.

By Melissa on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 10:50 am:

This was totally me this year! I was in a bad mood running around trying to buy things for people who need nothing. I basicaly feel we all might as well stand in a circle and hand each other 50 dollars! All that happened at the end of the day was Dh and I got a bunch of stuff we didn't need or want and my 7 year old got an obscene amount of stuff that we now must find a place for and she'll play with once! I came up with in march I am sending everyone a nice letter saying we are working on simplifing our lives and do not wish to exchange any presents next year, but would love to see everyone for dinner a week or so before Christmas. We will probably do One gift for the kids at that. Then on Christmas we will stay home with our dd she'll get some presents from us. DH and I will do stockings. And mid Jan we are going to Cancun to an all inclusive resort for a week.
I think we spend at last 2000.00 on Christmas each year that could go a long way towards a trip that will be relaxing and build great memories. I expected my sister to be upset when I mentioned this but it's fine with her and her family is coming to Mexico too. When We discussed this with our 7 year old and stressed she would be getting way less presents but would get time at home with us on Christmas and a trip to Mexico she was all for it. Even if we wern't able to do the trip i would still do the rest of it, It is just wasteful and stressful the way it has been.

By Melanie on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 12:01 pm:

Heaven, we found ours through the Salvation Army. There is a local storefront that is used for donations throughout the year and at Christmas they become dedicated to this project. People can adopt entire families and provide everything from the meal to the presents or they can bring in individual donations of food and gifts. I would expect a Church could be a great starting point as well. If the Church doesn't have anything organized, my guess is they could point you in the direction of someone who does.