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It's Oct. 15 and the advertising blitz has begun: "Buy, buy, buy" for the Holiday season ahead.
The onslaught seems to start earlier every year.
Before Halloween decorations are stored away, we are making lists, buying gifts, writing letters, decorating, and even preparing and freezing the holiday goodies. How can we decide how much is enough?
We've all heard stories from parents and grandparents about their childhood holiday celebrations. They remember warm fuzzy feelings, not elaborate gifts. They speak about December's wonderful smells of homemade baked goods, homespun decorations, games they played, little handmade gifts for family members, special religious activities and other traditions. What they don't mention is a pile of loot -- because there wasn't a pile of loot.
Today's families, especially children, do talk about the loot. They have come to equate piles of gifts with love. Commercial excess has replaced traditional foods, decorations and gifts. And it prompts the question: How do we define "enough?"
We can begin by talking about the issue. Busy parents can reflect on their holiday attitudes and beliefs. Families can choose how to spend the holiday season. They can discard old, meaningless customs that take up a lot of time and create new ones that fit the family. They can vow to enjoy the season, rather than focusing on just one or two days of it.
Keep in mind that traditional holiday observances - special family rituals and parties -- are treasures that keep a family close and that children remember long after the toys and loot are gone and forgotten.
If you want to discourage greed and overindulgence in your children, fill the holiday season with traditions of all kinds. Don't have time, you say? Use the time you might spend at the mall or on other frantic shopping expeditions to do some of the following:
- As a family, make decorations for your home.
- Visit free holidays displays around your town.
- Attend a seasonal choral concert.
- Each week, read a special holiday story.
- With your child, plan a special party for a few of your children's friends.
- Bake together.
- Visit special people in your children's lives.
- Create several really special activities for Christmas Day, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa.
Traditions give us a sense of belonging to a group, and they instill in us a sense of love and connection. If children know that the family will be doing special activities every year, holiday traditions will come to mean more and the loot could begin to lose its appeal. You don't need to compete with others. Look at the holidays in your own way and have FUN!
You also might be starting a new tradition -- one that your children will carry into their homes when they are adults. For more information about this topic, contact Margaret Miller, Colorado State University Extension agent in El Paso County, Colorado at (719) 636-8934 or e-mail: margaret_miller@co.el-paso.co.us
or contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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