Passing along the 'Upside-down Christmas'

Many years now I've been uncomfortable with how society, including me, has lost the focus of what Christmas is really about. Of course there are the usual stressors like trying to get 'that perfect gift', if there is such a thing. Or making sure that all is even when it comes to giving gifts to the grand kids. Or how about the traffic and long lines in the stores and malls. But no matter which way it goes, it's always wrong. We have lost the real meaning of Christmas for many many years and each year it gets worse. I see so many children and even some adults whose only interest is in getting gifts. Aside from a program at church or once in awhile a meaningful on target movie, the real reason for Christmas has all but disappeared.

I visited a friends blog (Binkee) at http://www.fliploveusa.typepad.com/ . She's passed on a post from another person, Brad, at his blog,
http://soundofasoftbreath.blogspot.com/2008/11/upside-down-christmas.html

It's about rethinking Christmas and it's called 'Upside-down Christmas'.
Please check it out and then pass the idea along. It's way past the time for all of us to get back to the true meaning of Christmas; giving OF ourselves instead of TO ourselves.

One of my most meaningful Christmas' I can remember was when my first born son, Rob, was only a year old. My husband had lost his job and we had literally 3 dollars left to our name. In the garbage next door I saw the branches from what our neighbor had trimmed off of his Christmas tree. I put them in a coffee can full of sand and we decorated it with popcorn and tinfoil. My husband and I took the $3 and went to Woolworth's and got my son a riding toy for $2.89. My son had a gift to open and we were together on Christmas.

Just recently I was talking with my previous husband and we both agreed that that was the one Christmas that we could actually say was our best. Why? I believe it was because we saw the value of our family and the gift of life. The little things in life that we cherish are the things that we need to celebrate.

I wish I were more creative. I'd come up with another way to celebrate Christmas but it would have nothing to do with presents and everything to do with 'presence'.

Thanks to Binkee and Brad for reminding me again what this season is REALLY about.

God Bless us all this Christmas Season!