Since I'm always trying to 'Simplify' (which BTW doesn't mean austerity, to me), the topic of a simpler Christmas is dear to my heart. I've been on this quest to Simplifying Christmas, for a long time. Enough to have earned the nick-name of "Scrooge," in my immediate family. ,-) But slowly, they are coming around more to my way of thinking. Gifts for the children of course. But less and less exchange, among the adults. And with the world-wide economy suffering this year, it's even easier to make the case for a simpler Christmas!
Which to me, is not an all bad thing. In times past, Christmas didn't used to be so terribly elaborate. But it was very, very special. I'm enjoying 'An Irish Country Christmas' by Alice Taylor. And noticing interesting things...
Christmas was the only time of year, when toys or games came into her childhood house. Imagine that! Today, many children expect some sort of play thing, every time they go anywhere. And like so many frequent things, the 'bloom is off the rose,' so to speak. What's special about toys at Christmas, if they get this or that toy thing, every time they go anywhere?
Ms. Taylor also says that their year round diet was not fancy, in the least. It consisted of home grown/produced food... wholesome but repetitive. So the special foods of Christmas time, were all the more anticipated. All of Christmas Time was highly anticipated, even though the children had to help with much of the work themselves.
Somehow, all of that sounds as if it produced more joy... Than Christmas of today. Just a thought...
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