A Christmas Experiment, Gone Horribly.......

RIGHT.  Phew, what a relief it is to say that.

Before I begin, I just want to say that we did this for us....not to judge, criticize or make anyone else feel bad about how they did things.  This was what we needed....

Felix and I decided early in the Christmas season that we didn't want the same ol' typical Christmas.  Lot's of stuff, lots of fighting.....blah, blah, blah.

This year has been more adventurous for us than most....they seem to be getting more and more hectic as we wend our way through some of our medical issues.  I spent a lot of time at the hospital with Baylee, Felix spent a lot of time at work and we both realized the one thing we didn't have enough of this year was time.  We both felt like our kids deserved more than we had been able to give this year.

So we warned the kidlets that there would not be a lot of 'stuff' this year.  Originally, we had planned on a little getaway, but that just didn't quite work out either.  But we stuck to our guns and didn't buy individual gifts.  We bought family gifts and only family gifts.

Not to say that our kids didn't get anything....they just didn't add to their piles of unused toys and gadgets already piled in their rooms.

Santa managed to still get us our Christmas Eve jammies.  Phew....I don't know if we would have survived without our Christmas Eve jammies.  Then in complete opposition to what we have always done....we stayed up until after 11, having a rockin' Christmas Eve Rock Band party with the kids.  We kept the computer up, so we could track Santa through NORAD and the second he crossed into Utah territory, we all went to bed.

Christmas morning we woke up to new sleds from Santa and new snow pants from Mom and Dad.  The kids don't believe that I have Santa on speed dial...but I do....that is how we are able to always coordinate so well.  Their stocking contained journals, silly string, a giant bag of M&M's and a disposable camera.  A disposable camera?????  In this digital age?  Well, the mommy worked that out pretty quickly and we are going to develop the pictures from our Family Christmas adventure and make a photo collage....I think we may have to do that every year.

We weren't totally heartless......there were games and movies, a Clearplay (so mommy could watch all the movies she hasn't been able to) and an air hockey table.  No individual gifts....but things we would be able to do together.

We put the air hockey table together and played for a couple of hours and then we suited up and went hill hunting for some sleddin' time.  We stopped at a convenience store and had donuts and Ruffles for Christmas breakfast....YUMMMMMMM. 

It didn't take long, but we found a great hill and had a marvelous time.  Apparently, all I do is cackle as I watch everyone else biff it....watch for videos....you'll see what I'm talking about.

We had dinner with my family and then headed home to enjoy the rest of our day.  We made a late night snack of pot stickers and fried rice and then played air hockey and watched movies until the wee hours.

So...it wasn't a big Christmas.  What is was.....WONDERFUL.   There was more peace in our home this Christmas.  Our focus, had been completely changed.....

Lessons Learned
1.  It really is just stuff.  And it really doesn't matter.
2.  My kids were amazing about our 'redirection' from commercialism.....they didn't complain....NOT ONCE.
3.  We spent a whole day playing as a family.....AND WE LIKED IT.
4.  It was nice to be content with what I have....and admitted, I have a lot more than I need....but the best thing I have, is my family.
5.  We might be doing this again next year.