I can remember sitting and listening to my great- grandmother for hours as she told stories about the gifts that she received as a child for Christmas. The ones that stand out are handmade clothes, hand carved jewelry boxes, knick knacks carved from wood, and rag dolls. She said that sometimes they would even get fresh fruit such as oranges and apples as presents.
At that time she lived in a very rural area so a trip into town was required if you were going to enjoy fruit – and that was horse and buggy days. Times sure have changed!
As time went on department stores opened up everywhere and shopping became more convenient. Then along came shopping malls and soon the hassles associated with shopping, things like finding a sitter for your children so you can shop for their Christmas gifts, searching the parking lot over for a place to park, or standing in long lines to pay.
Christmas is not supposed to be stressful. It is a time to be with family and friends and enjoy each other. We need to simplify things so the holiday season is more joyful.
The modern, less stressful way to shop is online. You can go to dozens of stores in just minutes and do not have to deal with the hassles of physical shopping. Just wait for the kids to go to bed - you can even shop in your pajamas and have a little snack beside you. The reality is that you can get all of your shopping done in one night without ever leaving the house.
It is amazing how Christmas has changed over the years, and how shopping has evolved. Maybe online shopping can help put the focus of Christmas back where it should be, back on spending time with the ones we love.
This holiday season we plan to keep it simple and just spend quality time with our loved ones. Each of us will be making a handcrafted gift for other family members. We plan to make this a new Christmas tradition. With so many people having financial problems I believe simple traditions will become increasingly popular.
No comments:
Post a Comment