I read
this very good post and found that I had a bit more to say.
The guy who gets up in church and tells everyone that Christmas has become too materialistic speaks for himself in my opinion. I don't feel that way.
I set a budget that I stick to. Within that budget (I don't want to be paying for Christmas in January, let alone July) I make it as WOW as possible. I am not bothered that Christmas stuff comes out in the stores right after Halloween. I love it! I am always really sad when it's over and I start planning for next year in January to keep me from being too sad.
The better part of my Christmas gifts are handmade by me and it really takes a year to do it. However some gifts are better NOT handmade. For instance, my father and husband probably have as large a collection of LOVE BOXES as they could really ever want. So, I make my Christmas list of people in Jan. and then if I see something really special for a good deal I can get that item and stow it away. I'm like Santa. I have a list and check it a lot more that twice.
Christmas is my hobby. I love it! And, I think it's all in the attitude. When we go see the lights I tell my daughter to look at all these lights and think how wonderful it is that Christ was born over 2,000 years ago and yet people seem to do more and more to celebrate his birth. All the lights celebrate his birth and all the gifts celebrate the gift he is to us. All the decorations are for his birthday party.
I try to make Christmas magical for my daughter. My parents did that for me. Rather than spoiling me, I feel that it taught me to be generous with others. I watched my parents give what they could in the way of gifts, service and money to everyone that they could as well. I think it's important to make Christmas a time of service too and to participate in as many service opportunities as possible.. another good reason for starting early.
Christmas gifts and giving do not make me feel gluttonous or materlialistic. That people are running around trying to do things for those they love and to serve others and to give any gift that is a gesture of love is part of what makes this season so holy. Now I know that it's hard to see giving a DVD player or a rototiller as holy, but even those things if they represent happiness or service to the person who recieves them may just be. I personally like more personal gifts. Give a book that you loved.. (I even love a book recommendation). My mother-in-law gave me an Amarylis for my birthday. She knows I love flowers. It might bloom for Christmas. Gifts are just a way of giving love and while the gifts are often not that important and often forgotton, the gesture of love is important and never forgotton.
