Nothing New

This is not a deep post.
Truth:  My Great Love is percolating a strong, dark brew within me right now and it is not quite ready for consumption.  By me or anyone else.
And when it is, it will be 
Strong.
And Bold.
So, let's let it perk a little longer.

This post is a little lighter, but still relevant.
Here we go.

So, we are doing "Christmas" a little differently this year.

It's called a Nothing New Christmas; an idea I copied from a coworker who shared with me last season.
And I am so stoked about it.

I am, as are countless others around me, weary of the lack of focus on the true meaning of Christmas. We talk about it.
We lament on it.
We complain about it.
And we do little to change it.

So, I am trying to take baby steps (instead of following my deep desire to completely, radically upset the apple cart) to reboot my family into seeing Christmas a little differently this year.

A few of our traditions have always included:
Baking fresh pumpkin bread loaves for all the neighbors on my street on Christmas Eve which are hand-delivered by my little Elf Crazies.
Making a goody basket filled with homemade and store-bought goodies, fresh fruit and nuts and then hand-delivered to the Sheriff's Department on Christmas Eve as an appreciation for those working to protect us on the holiday.
When finances allowed (which hasn't been for last couple of years), adopting a needy family and anonymously giving to them on Christmas Eve.
Reading the Christmas story from Luke 2 as our bedtime story on Christmas Eve.

And we don't do Santa.
Never have.
(That's a big one that always gets raised eyebrows.)

This year, Nothing New.
No new gifts.
Sure, they can be new to us: thrift store, handmade, etc.  But, nothing brand new from a store.
My goals:
A. To get my children more involved in the gift-giving process.  I do not have extra funds most of the time to dole out allowance much less pay for them to give gifts to each other or extended family.
B. To get the focus even less off of receiving gifts on Christmas morning.

Each year, they begin giving me their 'lists' around this time because, quite frankly, I ask so that I can begin budgeting and shopping ahead of time.  Already, more than two months in advance, our focus is on receiving.

I want Christmas to be about:
Christ
Family
Gratitude
Peace
Focus

I want to take active steps to MAKE that happen instead of simply complaining that it doesn't.

I share these things, not to toot my horn, but because I want your ideas too.  What does your family do that is different, to take the focus off of presents?
Let's share and be creative and, together, work on raising a generation prepared to abandon the spirit of entitlement that Christmas has generated in years past.

Please share, won't you?