This is the first Christmas I'm actually looking forward to. I'm so excited to see my son's face Christmas morning, now that he's old enough to understand the whole Santa thing. =)

I always love the parties though.

and anyway, isnt santa trying to KEEP his belly? just sayin'! i think it is way too commercialized and i wish we could get back to talking more about Jesus!

As far as Santa's belly, you can't resemble a bowl full of jelly with a six pack.

I have two little girls who are anxiously awaiting Santa. This year we are baking cookies and leaving out carrots for Santa and his Reindeer; but at the same time, Christmas day we are baking a birthday cake for Jesus. It's all about balance!

I don't know what it is but I just can't get into the Christmas spirit this year. Maybe I'm just getting old lol. I think it's become so commercialized that people forgot why we really celebrate it. I am looking forward to seeing my kids faces this year though because grandma has been talking all about Santa and how he brings presents Christmas eve so when they wake up there will be presents under the tree. But I have to disagree with gift cards I LOVE getting gift cards:)

cfreema I LOVE the idea about making a cake for Jesus! I think I might do that too!

Merry Christmas dsjohndrow! Great blog! And TWreck is right..no bowl full of jelly with a six pack! HoHoHo

I also have to disagree about the gift cards...quite frankly I'd much rather have one than another pretty piece of "stuff".

I spent hours last year on iTunes finding NEW Christmas songs..there are a lot out there that are really fun. Current favorite is "Who Spiked the Eggnog?".....

gift cards are also for impossible people who will not like anything you want to give them, no matter how much thought you put into it, and for kids that have some weird tastes in either video games or music, hence i-gift cards,and game stop cards. :-)

I dislike gift cards too. I don't know why but I always feel like there is never much thought put into a gift card, unless it is for something specific like a restaurant or service as you mentioned above.

I actually spent hours last year looking for new Christmas music like rschmmidt and if you are willing to spend the time you can find quite a few good ones.

This year I made most of my gifts for people, so the time spent in the mall/shopping areas has been pretty minimal and the gifts I did buy, were done in November before the crazy Christmas crowd started.

Merry Christmas. Let's all remember WHOSE birth we commemorate.

Just one question: What's a Pouncer?

Very true! I'm a very devoted Christ follower and love the true meaning of Christmas, but I'm with you 100%!!

I'd be happy with a hot tub too lol!

I pretty much agree with your list. Christmas doesn't lift me the way it used to. I miss having little ones around during December. (They'll come on Christmas.)I am having a hard time buying for our sons. One has anything he wants as he and his wife make way more than my husband and I do and we are fairly upper middle class. The younger one has a tiny apt. and is not very demanding. (asked for a big coffee cup) So I'll get him an i-tunes card (and a coffee cup) but I also want to give him something else more personal. Christ has gotten lost so I put up two Nativities in our home but again wayy tooo much stuff.(commercialism).

I feel you on the "Stuff", but it doesn't HAVE to be about the "stuff". Commercials just make ya think that. You can always make a donation to a charity that is close to your loved one's heart. Wanna give me a gift? DO SOMETHING to help SOMEONE ELSE. I'm adopted, so foster kids are near and dear to my heart. I'd rather have a heartfelt letter or an experience than a "thing". Things can get lost, broken, etc. They don't show "love". They are just "things". Most of it becomes garage sale fodder. But a handwritten letter where someone took the time to tell me how they feel means more than anything else.
At risk of putting a divergent point of view up here - I believe in both Jesus's birth (which was put on Christmas day to "cover" winter pagan winter solstice celebrations - and the "tree" we all know and love is a form of the Yule Log tradition which has pagan roots as well...) http://www.jsjourneybook.com/2011/12/im-31-years-old-and-i-believe.html

JDRBT Thanks for the not so popular slant. Good to see some different viewpoints on here!

THere is so much stuff in the world that does take away the true reason we celebrate Christmas.

Our kids are forever grateful for whatever they get. This Christmas will be 5 years since they moved in. My oldest..now 15 understands what it is like not having anything..and my youngest..well she has to be reminded.

Every weekend before Christmas, our church helps families in need have a wonderful day..providing presents and food..its awesome to be able to serve in such capacity.

I remember 1 christmas growing up..we went to India to visit family..and we didnt get presents...I hated it then..but understood at the same time..that we were fortunate people...and truely blessed by the birth of oour savior!

Aw, we live pretty lean for 51 weeks of the year and Xmas is the only time we have a bit of a blowout, although we don't go overboard. I love the magic of it for the kids and my other half is always at home for Christmas as his company closes down so we get to properly relax. I do think the kids are the icing on the cake though. I wasn't so hot on Xmas before and dread it a bit when they are grown up and it loses its magic again. But for now, I love it!

Instead of gift cards, why not make a donation to a charity in that person's name instead? Local cheer boards, food banks, shelters, .. there's a MILLION options. They don't need the "stuff" either, and it can make a HUGE difference for someone else. And really, what better way to really get behind the meaning of the season.This has been a big thing in my family for years, and it's more meaningful and MUCH easier on our brains. We also do it for my kids' teachers every year, and it goes over SO well-- it means a lot to the kids, and the teacher can only use so many mugs and candles.
We are also having birthday cake first thing on the 25th-- before we open presents, because that's what you on on a birthday!!(and yes, we will probably always have people ask "oh-- whose birthday is it?? *facepalm*)

my husband is the original bah-humbug about Christmas...he is learning though!! when no.1 daughter was little she wanted to leave carrots out for the reindeer...and in the morning all she founds was chewed remainders...my husband had gone outside and eaten the carrots making sure to spill bits on the floor for her to find....haha...she loved it!!!

the family highlight has been midnight mass for a number of years...with a very funny priest!!

merry Christmas all!!

I love Christmas Eve services... especially the late service at my church. The children collect the offering and place it in a big manger at the front of the church. That offering is used for helping the poor in our community.

My favorite Christmas with my niece and nephews was the year we had a completely homemade Christmas tree. We went and cut the tree then decorated with salt dough ornaments, paper snowflakes, construction paper chains for garland, etc.

forgot to mention that just this year I started giving gifts of donations to Heifer Int'l in honor of friends / family.

I think we have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas. Sure, we had Santa when my brothers and I were younger but we also read a part of the Bible every night after dinner. We had a family Advent wreath, too. Christmas Eve service was always the best. It was all music and singing and at the end, we lit candles, turned off all the lights, and sang Silent Night. As I have gotten older, there are things that I miss about being little - the curiosity about Christmas morning, the anticipation over what we got, and most of all...did the reindeer poop as Santa was getting out of the sleigh and what if he stepped in it and the dogs smelled it and barked at him and scared him away (yes, we had wild imaginations lol). I still love Christmas Eve service, although I am usually not able to go becasue my youngest son has very severe health problems and it is hard to take him out. After reading the other posting on this topic, I think we will start making a Birthday cake on Christmas day. Thank you for the idea - I love it! Merry Christmas to all and your families :)