My Grown-Up Christmas List

So, as with the rest of the Christmas celebrating population, I’ve been thinking a lot about my Christmas List or as the song says, My Grown Up Christmas List. 

But in conjunction with that, I’ve also been thinking about consumerism. I’ve thought about this off and on for years around the holidays.  I’ve done several Bible studies during Advent that have revolved around this.  “The Advent Conspiracy” is one that immediately comes to mind.  This one tried to get us to make our gifts more intentional, more meaningful.  I liked the idea! I mean I thought I had always tried to do this.

This year, though, as I was out shopping one day, you know, looking for the perfect Christmas gifts, this thought of consumerism popped up in my head.   I suddenly remembered the way things “used” to be, for me at least.

We weren’t always shopping, buying whatever we wanted throughout the year.  When I was kid, you got new clothes just before school started in the fall.  As you wanted/needed things you added those to your Birthday and Christmas Lists. You certainly stopped buying anything Nov. 1st so that you didn’t get something that someone wanted to get you for Christmas. 

The only things I really remember buying throughout the year for myself was books.  We didn’t get toys just to be getting toys, those were put on our “Lists”. 

As we got older and our income grew a little, we started buying things as we wanted/needed them and didn’t wait till special days AND that is when my problem began…

See, I don’t ever know what to say when family asks, “What do you want for Christmas?” Or my birthday… I never have any ideas!  And if I do, I worry that it costs too much and I don’t want that burden out there.  But I don’t usually have any ideas because when I want something, I just buy it!  And that’s pretty much how most of my family is as well.  Yes, I realize that my privilege is showing but that’s kind of my point.  I feel like for many average Americans, our privilege is showing around special days when we can’t think of what we would like for gifts.

Of course as we get older, what we want changes anyway.  We don’t want as many “things”.  And this leads me to my “Grown Up Christmas List.”

Top of the List is for my little family to all be together… that’s not really possible so I’ll settle for some time on FaceTime and talking, having a good time, sharing laughter and love and our lives, not awkwardness.  Yeah, that’s number one on my list. 

Then in no particular order…

• To wake pain free
• To laugh all day with loads of joy
• Love, lots and lots of love
• For there to be no more violence
• No more poverty
• No more hate
• To see more understanding and compassion for others
• Healthcare for all
• No more cheating or stealing
• More listening and less fighting

Pretty much I want what we all want and since we all want it, shouldn’t it be easy to see happen?  You’d think…

Anyway, as I sit here typing, I’ve started thinking about some “things” I would like…

• Piano lessons 
• Voice lessons
• Massages, lots of massages
• Family time more often, even if only over FaceTime and once a month
• A trip to the zoo
• To go hiking somewhere beautiful
• A Camping Trip! (I don’t care if it’s in a tent! Just bring my air mattress, please)
• Game Night
• Dancing in the living room
• Pajama Day (and maybe new PJs too)
• Visit a Museum
• A train ride (doesn’t have to be long)
• Experiences, I want more experiences with the ones I love. I want to experience Life more fully.

Well, now, that’s a list and I love it! 

I hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas or A Happy Holiday.  May this next year bring us all more Love, more Laughter, more Joy, more Magick in the everyday, and many wonderful experiences of a lifetime.

Much Love, my friends!

~Sherri