It is what you make it!

I have a pet peeve: I really dislike hearing people complain about the commercialisation of Christmas. We all know about it, its been there for a long time and yes it is difficult to escape but if you can find a bit of willpower, you dont have to buy into it.



I meet many a grinch who say they hate Christmas! Can you imagine saying such a thing? They say they are stressed, they are spending too much blahblah. They usually blame their situation on the big money companies, the adverts to BUY BUY BUY etc.



People talk about the Christmas's of old, the pretty scenes, family and friends gathered together, baking, sharing, making simple pressies but yet these same people go out and spend far more than they can afford in many cases to buy the newest best thing or lots of foreign goods that will eventually get stuffed into a cupboard and never used. What these people want is the perfect old fashioned Christmas, yet they give in to the modern pressures and what do they end up with? Not what they wanted.



I would be lying if I said I didn't like to get lots of presents under the tree. I would be lying if I said that I didnt like to give my family and friends lots of presents, but I have experienced enough Christmas's to realise now that that wonderful Christmas feeling that I get when looking at old movies or old paintings comes to me when I have friends and family around for a festive gathering, when I can take the time to bake something with my children, when I can make some pretty decoration for the tree while listening to my favorite Christmas music, when I attend midnight mass with the beautiful music and the general spiritual feeling that surrounds it.



So basically, what I am saying it, Christmas is what you make it. No one says you have to buy into everything the adverts tell you to do. It feels strange at first to do things the old fashioned way, but there is something very calming when you make the change.

I am not aying that you shouldnt buy presents at Christmas time. Giving and receiving ( especially VINTAGE!!!) is fun and good for people but there is no need to get yourself into debt and become stressed about it. People will learn to appreciate the simple things if you set a good example. That alone is a great gift.



What say you?