The first day of Christmas

I had this hare-brained idea this year. I wanted to do something to make Christmas more meaningful, give my family something to do together this year. If you knew my deepest, darkest secrets, you'd know one of them is that I don't love Christmas. There. I said it. OK OK. I love the the real meaning of Christmas, oldies songs from the likes of Elvis and Jim Reeves, and seven layer dip on Chrismas Eve....but all the rest .... too much running for not enough meaning. Don't get me wrong, we have family oriented Christmas traditions, but why does it become such "a thing" at Christmas. How much money and time is spent on producing the "picture perfect" Christmas? Does that exist, besides in the Target commercials or Pottery Barn catalogs? It's not just the commercialism that bothers me. I think we get pulled in so many extra directions this time of year, when really the best feelings are created when doing the normal things of life with your family. I'll shut up now. I do still want friends, even after they read my blog.


On to my idea. Actually it was my neighbor's idea. I stole it. I would do the 12 days of Christmas for my family, (I did it for my parents too, just a little altered to fit them). Everyday they open one gift. It's not like a "gift" as in toy, or valuable item. (that's the other end of my Christmas rant). It would be something to do together. This works out well, since I am not going to be much more than a warm body around here this Christmas season.

Hence, the picture of the puzzle above. The first day of Christmas. On my parent's gifts I included a scripture or quote to go along with each gift. As the days grew closer to surgery (I had a week to pull Christmas off and get my house in order knowing that I would barely be present for 6 weeks) the notes for my kids gifts got more to the point. The big emphasis on doing everything TOGETHER. So far so good.