Christmas Slowdown

I know this might sound kind of crazy, but I'm sort of liking the effect that this economic downturn is having on the holiday season. I think maybe more people are stopping the spending frenzy that usually characterizes Christmas, and are more focused on spending time with their families and creating meaningful holiday experiences. I really like this article from msnbc.com, talking about a new trend this year in a more simple holiday.

"Although it’s still early in the season, many others say that they, too, are
seeing more than just a financial benefit to cutting back. Harris, the
mother of three in Colorado Springs, remembers a time years ago when her husband
had just gotten out of the military, she was volunteering full-time at a church,
and “we were broke — dead broke,” she said. Using a small donation she had
received, Harris bought each child a laundry basket and filled it with their
favorite junk food. Then she gave them a cleaning tool along with a coupon
giving them a weekend off from cleaning. Even today, the family still has a
tradition of giving their boys a bottle of soda for Christmas, and she said all
of her sons still have the cleaning tools from that Christmas years
ago. “They remember that Christmas far more intricately than any other
Christmas we had,” Harris said."

I love the renewed focus on the non-material elements of the holidays. When you can get the focus off trips to the malls and long gift lists, you have the opportunity to enjoy being with your family and friends and celebrating the season in a much more meaningful and less stressful way.