Christmas shopping

Today I actually went out to a store and tried to buy a Christmas present to take advantage of a holiday deal advertised at Target. It didn't actually work because the toy wasn't at the store, but I was kind of surprised at myself that I actually ventured out. Shopping and I are generally not friends. But today was successful, in my mind. The kids stayed home with Daddy and I enjoyed the time. I stopped for coffee and coffeecake at Mika's on the way into the city and stopped for some lunch to bring home on the way out of the city. And in between, I hit a couple of stores. I didn't think the traffic or the crowds were too terribly crazy and I am now finished with buying gifts. All in all, it was good.

I also finished wrapping the presents tonight. Last year, Dennis and I decided that we are going to get our children three gifts per year in their stockings. We thought we'd tie it into the presents that Jesus received from the Magi and that we'd sort of use an interpretation of the gifts we'd either read about or heard somewhere -- one present will be something to treasure like the gold, one present will be something for the body like myrhh, and one present will be something to speak to the spirit like frankincense which was used for worship.

So, this year, Annalivia is getting a doll and Daniel is getting a fire truck to treasure (though not the one that was advertised at 75% off at Target). They are both getting t-shirts for their little bodies. And they are getting two books each to enhance their spirits-- one is a Christmas story that will appeal to each and the other for each is a story about developing wise character. I managed to find the books I was looking for today, thus completing the trio, so Dennis and I wrapped the gifts up tonight and hid them downstairs. And it's not even December yet! :)

For our families, we will be making gifts, for the most part. My family has always been good about spending a very small amount on Christmas and instead focusing on the pleasure of giving and receiving gifts that use the giver's talents and consider the receiver's interests carefully. It is always so much more fun to give and receive things that bear some imprint of real consideration for another, isn't it? I love that the precedent for Christmas has been set in this way. It's frugal, but also, more importantly, meaningful.

So, I am pretty much done shopping, unless I end up needing supplies for those things I'm making. And, I suppose I will need to take Annalivia up to the Et Cetera Shoppe with her Christmas allowance at some point and allow her to choose presents for family. But those things will be fun to do when the time arises. I'm looking forward to it even now.

Maybe Shopping and I could become friends after all!