Holidays

So, the past few weeks have been pretty tough on me.

There is just something about all this consumerism that we refer to as Christmas that can make a guy feel low.


A lot of things this past year didn't work out the way I had planned, and Christmas is going to be, shall we say "skinny?"


I know that Christmas shouldn't be about how much you spend, and my boys are way too young to even know the difference, but that does not change the fact that I still feel the pressure as a husband and father to provide.


I think this is why I always have such a hard time getting into the "Christmas spirit" every year. And every year it seems it all starts earlier and earlier.


I guess that is why I always liked Thanksgiving more than Christmas.

Growing up poor meant there was always that chance that Christmas would be a bust. If there was no money it meant that the gifts I would get were not likely to be the ones I wanted; and that has a way of ruining a holiday that is all about presents. But you couldn't really screw up Thanksgiving.


Thanksgiving was always more about giving than receiving. It was food, family, football... and more food.

Even when times were tough we could find a way to come up with a Thanksgiving diner. A turkey, some green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie and I was good to go.


But maybe this is may chance to change all that.


Now I am the Papa, and Heather and I can decide what becomes tradition in our house.


Maybe we can find a way to make Christmas less about presents and more about presence.