How many times this season have you heard
or perhaps even said the 2008 phrase,
"...well with the way the economy is going..."
It seems that most every direction I turn people are tightening their belts this Christmas. Upon first reflection, this may seem a little sad but when considered by our hearts and with the true meaning of Christmas in mind, "this economy" may provide the hidden blessing of allowing us to make things sweeter than usual. Take these nostalgic candy sticks for example. I remember my grandmother telling me many times that one of these pretty sticks or a simple piece of horehound candy in her stocking would put a huge smile on her face. They make me smile too and at 10 cents a piece, a few dollars goes a long way.
Being inventive on how to create inexpensively sweet memories with our kids has recently bumped the holiday season of 2008 into the upper echelon of favorites thus far. Last week, Rob and I invited our kids to this:
The Cost:
1. Invitations-3 pieces of cardstock and a little time on the computer
2. Trimming the Tree-$13 fresh Douglas Fir
3. Holiday music we already own
4. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup-$6 whole chicken, $2 celery bunch, $1 onion, chicken broth from the pantry and homemade noodles from ingredients we had in the house
5. Renting Fred Claus-$1 from Redbox
6. Hot Fudge Peppermint Sundaes
$3 hot Fudge, $4 Ice Cream, $2 brownie mix
7. Balderdash--a favorite board game we already own (we ended up playing Clue as well)
Total expense for a memorable night for a family of 5: $32 (and we even had soup left over for lunch the next day) None of these activities are extraordinary by themselves but making a plan ahead of time and making invites for the kids created excitement--it got the chores done as well ;) We loved it so much, we've decided to make this a yearly tradition!
And, although we actually have a bit more money this holiday than some from the past, we are grateful for the opportunities this economy provides.
It has caused us to stop and really think before spending.
It has caused us to talk more to our children about serving others who are less fortunate.
It has caused us to be grateful for simple yet meaningful things like making gingerbread cookies together and getting to put a peppermint stick into a cup of hot cocoa. (Grandma never had a whole handful of peppermint sticks and yet we do--- a sweet, small blessing worth counting!)
These spicy iced ginger babes ^ made their way to the kid's classroom holiday parties and I counted each smile and "mmmmmmm---good cookies Mrs. Taylor" from the kids as a wonderful gift. 
The gift was made even sweeter when Brad and Chloe were able to say, "we helped cut out the shapes and put the buttons on the cookies."
My children were proud that they had helped and I was grateful I'd decided to be patient and let them. "This economy" has made me want to slow down and has created a patience within me to provide more hands-on holiday experiences for the kids.
It started with the tree trimming (I actually let them decorate their own tree ---> without any of my moving the ornaments when they weren't looking--this is huge for the stylizing control freak in me--and of course I do have my own tree --pictured below--they didn't exactly get to help me with this one...)
I adorned my tree with things like
birds & berries
ribbons & glass
icicles
dangling crystals & stars
regal looking reindeer & whimsical snowflakes
and much more
This year's
colors--pomegranate red, apple green, and tiffany blue. Am I the only one who has a this
thing about color coordinating the wrapping paper with the tree's color
scheme????--it's just [another] one of those persnickety things about me.
The kids & I have also been busy baking other varieties of cookies like these snow covered spice trees (recipe coming soon), donating time and money in a sub for Santa night with friends where we shopped for a family in need, and making a batch of homemade fudge tonight where we all took a turn at the wooden spoon. My head still spins to think that Grandma whipped out perfect fudge by herself at the age of 85.
It took all 5 of us tonight--what wimps we are by comparison!
Whether you consider yourself religious or not, the truth of the
matter is we have this thing called Christmas because of the birth of
Jesus Christ. The holiday is known by no other name than His. That
alone should exemplify to each of us of the importance of His
influence in our world. I was grateful today to hear the story of the
birth of Jesus told from a supposed perspective of his mother Mary.
Like "this economy" it shifted things a bit for me to see the story
from the mother's eyes. I became grateful to Mary for being a woman of
strength who endured living in a time I am unable to truly comprehend.
My perspective changed and the story became even sweeter to me.
As you're going through the next few days, I hope you'll taste a
sweetness in the priceless things in your life. We all have them. Let this time when money is tight and having a job is a blessing turn your hearts toward a shift in perspective. For
me, I look to the past. I look to my sweet grandparents. I look to my testimony and my faith. I look to my family. I look to my friends. In all of these places I look, there is an immeasurable sweetness to be found.
Enjoy!
~eva
