Several years ago I stumbled across this little gem of a book in the dollar store of all places. The title is Hundred Dollar Holiday by Bill McKibben If I had known how good it was I would have bought some of these to give away!
The book starts out with the author explaining how the commercialization of Christmas started in America in the early 1800’s. How gift giving and spending became such a huge part of Christmas and how it still drives much of our society today.
Mr. McKibben calls us to examine our reasons for gift giving. He is not against giving gifts but challenges us to spend less and focus more on the traditions of Christmas. Spend more time as a family and less time spending. His challenge is to spend $100 (which is his family’s limit).
Now I know that most of us spend more than $100 on Christmas I know I do and I doubt I will spend only $100 this year (although it would be a fun challenge!)I think the idea of this book is to examine our reasons for spending and set limits. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements, commercials, emails to our inboxes to entice us to spend more money. It seems everywhere we turn we are bombarded with the message to spend! Those commercials convince us we need these things. Encouraging us to many times spend more than we would have intended. They are very enticing. I know I have dreamed of buying certain items and have gone ahead and bought things at times against my better judgment.
Instead of spending and getting bigger and better things. Lets face it there will always be bigger, better and newer. Someone will always have something we want (or think we want). There will always be some new item that does just one more function better than what we already have and on and on.
What I got from this book is to set a limit on our spending for the holiday. Whether it be $100 or $500. Focus more on the traditions of the Christmas season and not so much what we want or are getting a friend or loved one.
This book challenges us to come up with a nice gift with a small amount of money. Maybe it is something homemade or baked goods or time spent with someone you love, or even something store bought. The author is not against spending and encourages us to spend locally to boost our local economies.
The focus should not be to spend, spend, spend but to focus on the meaning of our giving. Kids are a perfect example. Most of the time their wants are endless. If you could hear Kaden, every toy commercial he sees he wants.(and there are a lot of toy commercials) No matter what it is. Will he get every thing he wants. No. Does he need it all. No. Will he remember everything he got next Christmas. No. What he will remember are the things we do together as a family. the traditions we as a family do, the memories we create together.
This book challenges us to ask ourselves why we buy? What is really important about Christmas. For my family the main focus of Christmas is the birth of Jesus. The gifts are secondary. We have explained to our boys that there would be no Christmas if God had not given us his Son. We give gifts because God gave us the ultimate gift. The traditions we create center around the birth of Christ.
I think each of us needs to decide what is most important to us as families. What message we want to convey to our children. Are we focusing on the spending or are we focusing on being together and creating memories.
This is really a great little book and gave me lots of food for thought on what is most important. Things don’t last they wear out, break or do not work as we thought. The excitement soon fades away after the gifts are opened and the wrappings are strewn across the floor. The traditions and memories we create leave a life long impression that last a lifetime.
My challenge to you is to create some traditions with your family. Stop and really focus on the meaning of Christmas and why you are celebrating. What new memories can you create with your family. Immerse yourself in the season and take the time to truly enjoy it with your family and friends!
