“We must not avoid the Christmas rush. We must avoid rushing the festivities.” Rev. Bill Pfohl.
It’s official. The world can be divided in one more way: those who break doors and those who don’t.
Surely you have already heard the term. It refers to people who get up before dawn, especially on “Black Friday”, and literally walk through the doors of stores when they open in the morning. This lovely little ritual is only a few years old… and it seems like it’s starting earlier in the day and attracting more and more devotees each year.
Since several of my friends participate in this practice, I can’t stop doing it. My understanding is that those people who bust down the door think it’s the most normal thing in the world; those of us who wouldn’t be caught dead doing it think they’re completely insane.
Talk radio on Friday morning was loaded with discussions of this phenomenon. Surprisingly, the calling audience overwhelmingly felt that breaking the door is actually quite a virtuous practice. That helps teach kids the value of a hard-earned dollar. Let those who engage in it exhibit perseverance. Work diligently for what they want. They are willing to sacrifice sleep and comfort to get it. They are smart spenders. Exercise good stewardship.
Me? It was a point of silence, as she needed to take Nick to the doctor for his weekly checkup (for leukemia). She couldn’t have broken the door down even if she wanted to. And I can’t imagine, even in my wildest dreams, the mother thought. I hate crowds. I hate queuing. I hate queuing in the cold. I hate giving up my morning coffee ritual. I wouldn’t dream of leaving my warm bed in the cold and dark before dawn.
However, I admitted that once again I was feeling overwhelmed by my long Christmas shopping list and that I would love, as my door-busting friends can now boast, to have it almost finished. Gifts purchased, wrapped and ready to ship. I face frustration once again as I contemplate how to most gracefully allow the true spirit of Christmas to enter my family’s reality while meeting all the demands of the season. To heed my pastor’s advice in this week’s sermon: “We must not avoid the Christmas rush. We must avoid the Christmas rush.”
Every year around this time, I make my gift list, review the past few years, and resolve to be smarter, more thoughtful, and more efficient. Every year, around this time, under the budget of the three most important factors (time, money and energy) to put myself in order. And every year, around this time. I submit to some of the unavoidable things: shopping at the mall, waiting at the post office, and last-minute orders. I resolve, year after year after year, to “be better.” And yet, to keep my eye on the ball. Remember that this season of Advent is to help us get closer to the baby Jesus. Deepen our relationship with Him.
So where does that fit in? Where, between the parties and the parades, the cookies and the cards, is the message of Christmas woven into the fabric of these next four weeks? How do you stay true to the message and yet live according to cultural expectations? The delivery of gifts is one of the pillars of the holidays. And yet it exacts an emotional, financial, and physical toll. Whether we like it or not.
For whatever they’re worth, here are my guides to preparing and celebrating the holidays with vigor and enthusiasm:
Think natural.
There is something about natural beauty. In faces, fashion and home decoration. Friends, this year you will receive gifts from the outdoors or from my local garden center: flowers, bulbs, topiaries. Clay pots, sphagnum moss and all. No gloss No gloss Plain.
Think small.
It never fails: Just when I think I’ve outwitted the system and perfectly figured out the exact postage on my smaller packages, I end up making three or four long trips to the post office with half a dozen boxes in my arms. each and every time. This year, I’m thinking small and light. Gifts that can be easily stuffed into small padded envelopes. With default and preset stamps. Stationery, note cards, writing tablets. Jewels. Intelligent.
Think homemade.
I love receiving homemade cookies as I hardly ever bake in my own house. (It is not mine). So I assume that others love receiving them as much as I do. I never forget our family’s best Christmas cookie, time-honored: Ritz-cracker-peanut-butter-sandwiches-dipped in dark or white chocolate. Packaged in pretty tins or boxes, they remain a perennial favorite, and will find their way onto my kitchen counter as well as some brown packets this year as they do every year. Easy.
Think handmade.
I always think that this Christmas will be different: that I will oil paint large quantities of miniature canvases, hook a multitude of stockings with hand-dyed wool, decoupage glass plates for all my neighbors or embroidered belts for all four of our children… and then life gets in the way. Amidst the hustle and bustle, I invariably end up at my favorite local merchant, stocking his counter with a dozen of my favorite things and giving said item to each and every one of my friends, whether they like it or not. . Not necessarily the most thoughtful approach, but certainly one of the most convenient. But if I can get it right, I’ll be messing around in my studio this year, trying to create something from my heart. Using my own hands and investing more time than any other ingredient. Honest.
I admit it: this approach only works for the adult group. Brides are among the most appreciative group I know. But as for all the little ones on your list: give up. You’ll find yourself in more toy stores than you ever thought possible, searching for talking dolls, action-packed video games, new bikes, and glow-in-the-dark balls. And you’ll spend a lot more on those three specials (time, money, and energy) than you ever planned on. As for those teens on your list? My own daughter looks forward to both Juicy Couture and I hope they sell out. Malls and madness. Gross. The thought of the mother exhausts me.
If only he had broken the door.