I'm going to be completely honest. Because that's what I do here on my blog. I sometimes say things that others may not like, and what you're about to read is no exception. But, just to remind you... it is my blog.
I would say for the last 3 years or so, I have not be able to get into the "holiday spirit." I used to completely deck out my house with Christmas Decor, the tree went up before Thanksgiving, Christmas music would constantly play throughout my house and I couldn't wait to start baking up a storm. And buying gifts. I'd even host a party or two.
Not anymore.
I can't seem to pin it on one particular thing, but lots of little things that seem to drive me crazy about Christmas. The fact that Thanksgiving has now become "Black Thursday" as if Black Friday wasn't bad enough. Watching all the crazies on the news trampling people in the stores to get their hands on whatever has replaced ZhuZhu Pets as this years "it" toy. It's madness.
Store ads are piling up at my house. I hear a lot of "I want this, I want that." And don't even get me started on Gift Exchanges. I swear, they are only a way of getting a gift from someone that normally wouldn't be giving you gift anyway. As if a gift exchange is going to make or break your Christmas. It definitely won't mine.
I guess you can say that everywhere I look, it seems that I see greed, not giving. Sales & parties, not Christ & his birth. And I'm not completely exempt from it myself, trust me. I've already purchased what my husband will be giving me for Christmas. I guess I just feel that it's become so hard to remember what Christmas is truly about without making a ridiculously hard effort to ensure that you do. Does that make sense?
Chris and I have thought about ways to ensure we don't forget what Christmas is all about. It doesn't include 37 gifts under the tree, spoiling eachother with things that we don't need. We've been blessed this year, beyond measure.
So, I had an idea. Christmas at our house would be simple this year. But remembering Christmas will about making memories with my family and giving to those who truly need it. I can already feel my holiday spirit returning just thinking about the wonderful things we are going to do this month!
So... watch for it. Our family's Holiday memories will be posted right here on my blog. This is going to be the best Christmas the Merkley family has had in a really, really, long time.