I love my grandchildren dearly and I think they are very sweet and loving little people. (Well, not so little anymore.) But every year between Halloween and December 25th, they turn into these stark, raving, whining, yelping, spoiled, entitled lunatics! We know it's coming and yet we are always unprepared for it. They are excited about Christmas. I get it. But still, it is a little hard to live with. Even after 9 years, I am still not sure I have any idea what to do about this situation. But once again, I will make an attempt.
I LOVE Christmas. The whole Christmas season. Don't ask me why. No one quite knows the reason. The lights and the songs and the meals and the presents. Decorating the tree with carols playing and hot chocolate and popcorn for snacks, driving through the neighborhood looking at the lit up houses past the boys bedtimes, wrapping presents while watching A Christmas Carol. Putting way too much icing and candy on our gingerbread house. I am smiling just thinking about it.
And I love getting my grandchildren wonderful surprises that will make their faces light up Christmas morning. This may be where the problem began. Maybe I spoiled them??? Well, Santa will still be dropping by Christmas Eve to leave happy packages for the kids. There are some traditions I am not willing to give up. Can I create some new traditions to balance the gift getting?
Last year, as soon as they started making lists of toys and games for Santa, I asked the Older Boys to think about ways that they could "give" this holiday season. We usually pick up a toy for the toy drive, and drop in in the bin in the mall. But that act in itself did not require much thought on their part, and seemed to have little effect on their overall view of Christmas. I wanted a little more from them.
I also suggested to them that instead of getting extra presents from us, they could each choose an family activity to do during their time off school in December. An attempt to focus the holidays on family time as well as getting gifts. Again, we always talk about how important it is to be with family, but I wanted them to really understand it. We sat down to write letters to Santa. When we were finished the letters, complete with the required friendly greeting to Mr. Claus, and well as please and thank you, and only 3 items on the wish list, we made two more lists.
The Giving List
"I want to give someone a bed, who doesn't have one."
"Donate food to the food bank."
"Lego for someone."
The Doing List
"Swimming at the place with the diving board."
"Swimming at the place with the water slide."
"Out for dinner."
Not too bad, actually. Despite the fact that I don't really want to go swimming twice, and I have no idea how we will give someone a bed, we will make every effort to follow through with their ideas. After all, I want them to buy into these new traditions, to remember them as special and want to continue them year after year. As noted above, lots of our Christmas activities are my ideas of what the holidays should be. I wanted these new ones to be their ideas.
What do you do to make the holidays about more than presents? And which, if any, organizations or events do you give to at this time of year?