Diminishing Returns

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus... As children, apparently my sister and I were so obsessed with opening gifts that our dad decided to start holding a Christmas morning church service.  At the very least, he reasonsed, it would serve as a nice mid-morning reminder of the reason for the season.  (This meant that we went to approximately 3 church services in 16 hours.  Reason for the season, indeed.)  No matter that it would just be our immediate family and no more than 3 other people sitting in the inevitably cold sanctuary, Christmas morning church was a tradition that continued until just a few years ago. Keeping perspective on Christmas is hard, especially when you're kid, and especially when you're given so much.  Although let me not put this all on kids; it's hard as an adult too.  I can definitely still get into the "more, more, more" mode, especially when it comes to shiny things, boots and/or pocketbooks.  (My personal version of "Squirrel" from the movie, Up!)  I have to work at reminding myself that I have waaaaaaaaay more than enough shiny things, boots and pocketbooks -and that the initial adrenaline rush of opening a gift fades quickly.  (Cf. That third glass of wine.)  So in order to find and keep some perspective on the gift-giving aspect of Christmas, here's what we're doing this year.  First, we bought a goat through Heifer International in honor of our nephews and niece, which will go to a family desperately in need of feta cheese.  (Nephew Bennet asked, "Does this mean I get to feed a goat whenever I want?"  Too cute.)  Second, we aren't going to buy anything new for Mateo, but instead plan on wrapping up a number of toys already in his room so that he can enjoy the unwrapping process.  He will, and already has, received some really great gifts from family and friends (thank you all!), so we know he won't be deprived of Christmas loot.  Obviously strategy one is something we can continue doing, and I look forward to someday being able to afford a water buffalo, (to keep with the cheese theme.)  Strategy two, however, has a limited shelf-life.  We know that Mateo will get bit by the gift-bug eventually, and we hope that we will find a way to manage his expectations while still reveling in the fun of getting gifts.  I'm not sure what that particular strategy will look like exactly, but I would say, lookout Mateo- Grandpa has a church service with your name on it!