Simple Holidays

Looks like the holidays are going to be pretty quiet for me this year. Bo and I both have to work, so we can't travel to see our families. We're staying at home, but we don't really have the extra money to spend on celebrating the holiday. I don't even think we are going to get each other presents this year. We will have some presents to open, since family will be shipping us gifts, but I'm not expecting a lot. It has been a tough year all around.

I'm not really that disappointed, though. I don't mind that our Christmas will be simple and quiet. Of course, I'll miss my family and having lots of presents is always fun, but that isn't what is most important. Bo and I will be together for the holiday and that is the most important thing.

I feel like I am in the minority when I say that. I see all these advertisements for stuff to buy and sales to buy it cheap. Today, there was a story on NPR about people begging online for gifts or money to buy gifts for their kids. Gifts, not food or other essentials. When did gifts become essential to making Christmas special? How did we get to the point that "kids deserve presents" during the holiday season, as one of the people interviewed for the story said. And just to be clear, these people who were begging wanted money to get good gifts for their kids. Apparently, simple or small gifts don't cut it. I've had a tough year. I've worked hard and cut back to make ends meet, but I don't feel like I deserve presents. I'm just happy that I can put food on the table and maybe make something extra special for Christmas dinner. Granted, there are probably people out there who are in a worse situation and maybe the people interviewed for the NPR story are genuinely struggling. If that is the case, why are they begging for gifts? Why not food, clothes or something else along those lines.

I miss simple holidays. Does that make me a Scrooge?