We have started giving the grands, DD's and hubby's gift cards. The grands get so much from the in-law side of the family and they are getting older so its easier and with sizes/styles changing so rapidly(for the teens), it really makes that part easy !! OH don't get me wrong, every year at Christmas they all get a new quilt for their beds and embroidered pillow cases. Some new shirts that I sew for them, but usually its enoughto get a couple pair of pants or ? whatever their little hear desires (as you know how teens change their minds all the time !LOL)

I taught the 6th grade for almost 30 yrs. in the same school...each year, beginning in the early part of Nov. I "encouraged"(though some teachers good naturely said I harrassed them to participate...lol) every class from Pre-K to 8th gr. to make something to sell for my annual Christmas Craft Bazaar...the 1st couple of yrs. some teachers didn't want to make anything with their class because they said they(the teachers) weren't artistic...I used my free class periods to go to their class and teach both the class AND the teacher something to make...after collecting, pricing, setting up our little "store" my class was in charge...they ran the store, collected the money, kept inventory, etc. They were the ones to escort kids from other classes to come and shop in our store...The week before Christmas vacation, I took some volunteers to the grocery store with our hard earned money and bought groceries...we made up food baskets for needy families in our township...it was a poor district, and I worried about all of the kids that were getting free breakfasts/lunches daily that might not have enough food at home during the Christmas break...after my class made up the Christmas food bags(which equaled a week's worth of groceries for each family including a canned ham also), the school nurse and I delivered the baskets so that no one would be embarrassed or have other kids know they were receiving a basket...it was amazing to me that some of the neediest kids were the ones to help the most...it taught my students and the students in the whole school, the gift of giving from their heart...now after being retired for almost 10 yrs., it is that Christmas tradition that I miss the most...and still, when I see one of my former students, or the teachers I used to work with, they remember how our little Christmas Craft Fair grew from 5 Christmas food baskets to 50!!! It was a lot of work, but it was worth it...Naomi

Great memories. It's nice to create traditions that don't require anything but love. :)

The preschool dept at my church does a Happy Birthday Jesus Party every year. This year one of the ladies invited her "Santa" friend. He was so good. Everything he said related back to the Birth of Jesus. Isn't that the way is should be? but seldom is?

I do agree with you about its so commercial now. We do not get gifts either we are able to do it but our children are grown and the grandchildren can barely make it. It is not about gifts

After reading all of your messages above I know that I'm blest... altho my DH and I have spent our Christmases alone for the last 15 years.. We still have each other, and that's the best gift in the world.. We don't exchange gifts, never have much.. We have 2 sons in their 40's and 1 granddaughter. Our oldest son is struggling with deadly diabetes and parkinson's now, and we don't know if he'll still be alive this Christmas. We use to have big family get togethers at all the holidays.. but now we are the oldest ones still living. Such is the way of life...

I sincerely hope that you have one more Christmas with your son. I know how difficult it is to accept that your family shrinks and changes with the years. Having family and faith at Christmas are important; gifts aren't. Love is important and expressing it is. May you and your family be surrounded by love and filled with faith. May you keep each other strong. May God bless you and yours.

Sadiemae, when I was single and lived alone, I also had alone times during the Christmas season when family and friends were involved in doing their own thing. However, I tried to occupy myself with making things for others that I could afford. That way, I kept my hands and mind occupid. Also, I belonged to a church and pretty much stayed busy in church activities during this time of year, also.

Patsy

I agree with you, Always Learning, about the big blow up things. They make me grit my teeth so I don't scream and throw rocks at them!!!