Our family has been talking about toning down the materialism of Christmas for awhile. This year we did it. We traditionally have used amazon wishlists to ensure the gifts are wanted/needed. Older son put a total of one item on his list, which solidified the beginning of the new way.
The gifts I bought them were few, inexpensive, and were from fundraisers for charitable groups. They bought me art and growing supplies, as well as a pandora radio subscription (from older son) and membership to Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park (from younger son.)
Minimalism
applies only to things —
Season’s love boundless
Bjorn is today’s host of dVerse. Bjorn says:
There are those days which feels more like beginnings than others, and how endings are often followed by new beginnings, and how we sometimes need with a housecleaning to feel a beginning.
Season’s may end when another begins.
After a break work may resume again.
Every painting starts with a blank canvas.
So for today, I would like you to write a haibun about any beginning, it could be the start of a journey, a new year’s resolution, the planting of seeds or simply the dawn of yet another day.
image link here
Tao Talk 
I only bought presents for my grandson and husband. I sent a small food hamper to my daughter and her husband to help out with food and drink. I agree that there is too much materialism at Christmas, and that the main thing is being together and loving each other. The fact that you did it as a family speaks volumes, Jade.
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It makes the season so much more pleasant without a mad rush to buy lots for everyone. Sounds like you’re at minimalism also with the gifts, but your love for your grandson shines through. I commend my older son for pushing over the first domino.
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To begin with less is a great ambition… I hope to fill our house with less as well.
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We didn’t have a Christmas this year. I like that you kept your holiday minimalist. We have done that for years and to be honest, I don’t miss all the bought stuff. Good for you. This is the first year in a while I have not helped serve at the food kitchen.
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Toni, why didn’t you serve at the food kitchen this year? Seems like that is something you really enjoy doing.
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I love your message. For us, the grandchildren got a few presents, but the adults got very few. The family gathering was the greatest gift of all, indeed. Your haiku is perfection.
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<3 Thanks Glenn. So glad you had a wonderful family gathering.
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We’ve taken a minimalist approach as well, concentrating on the true meaning of the holiday. This year was bittersweet with 3 funerals coming in rapid succession.
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3 funerals has got to be tough any which way you look at it. Beverly, my condolences.
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Oh, I love your Haibun and the truth it holds. Well done!
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Thank you very much. How did your grandson like the birdhouse kit??
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He loved the tool kit and the bird house. I have not heard whether he put it together yet.
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I like your new approach towards gift giving. Very commendable.
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Thank you, Sadje :) It is a lot less stressful and a lot more joyful.
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It is. And indeed lot less burdensome and wasteful. ❤️
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Ah, yes, things that matter – season’s love boundless. It sounds like a wonderfully aware holiday season. Yay!
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Thank you, Sherry. It was!
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Ah the “boundless love” we can thrive by that
Happy New Year. Thank you for dropping by mh blog today
Much✨love
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You’re very welcome!
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creativity in gift giving, wrapping and sometimes locating the gift is part of my family’s celebration, nothing expensive but a lot of thought and care. Your haiku holds so much meaning.
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Gina, thank you, and glad you connected with it.
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Oh this is such a lovely idea. Celebrating the really essence of this occasion.
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Thank you very much.
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You’re welcome, Ms. Jade.
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It’s a custom we introduced many years ago and it mostly still holds. Indeed, the mad rush at Christmas time is just that – madness. It’s supposed to be a time of resting.
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It felt wonderful.
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What a refreshing idea Lisa. I am so pleased you and your family have found a way change the gift shopping madness. Happy New Year! 🙂❤️
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:) Thank you, Christine.
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This is something I want to embrace for next Christmas. I love your haiku
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Glad to hear it, and thank you :)
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We did sorta the same thing until Jen bought me something… Bailey wanted much less this year.
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I think the young people of today are much more minimalist than we are. It’s a matter of necessity in many cases…
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A beautiful haiku Lisa, and it’s lovely you’ve toned down the material side of Christmas this year. We haven’t exchanged material gifts for years and enjoy treating each other to a nice walk, a lovingly prepared meal and creating happy memories xxx
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Sounds just right, Xenia and it does bring peace “for those still enough to listen.”
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Thank you Lisa 💜 xxx
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YW <3
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Wonderful ways to celebrate the season of love! I sent a Christmas email instead of printed cards and we only did stockings for grand children, not adults this year.
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This is the 2nd year of no sending of cards. At 50+ cents a card, I simply couldn’t afford the extra expense.
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It takes money and adds stress. Happy new year, Lisa!
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Fun new tradition. I never see anyone do that with little kids, that move is usually a sign of aging. Smile (we do it too)
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lol. All of that hoopla for the little ones is for the parents’/grandparents’ vicarious enjoyment, no matter what the cost figuratively and literally…
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It sounds like you had a lovely holiday! Sometimes the season does get to be too crazy.
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Love your picture of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree and also love the summation of your haiku. Beautiful.
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Linda thank you much, glad you enjoyed them.
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My extended family gives to the charity of the receiver’s choice for the holidays. This year the girls and I were minimal also. Enough of Amazon! (K)
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I like the idea of giving to the charity of receiver’s choice. Maybe we can try that next Christmas. Amazon is getting a little big for its britches.
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It is. They treat their workers so poorly too, also their vendors. I’m trying whenever possible to support local businesses.
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LOVE the idea of simplifying. Did you know there is actually a magazine called Simplicity…about simplifying our lives. Seems a bit of an oxymoron…a corporate magazine trying to get us to be less corporate and materialistic but there you go. You’ve spurred me on in terms of an idea I recently had about next year’s Christmas in our family….and that is to only gift with second-hand gifts. Either from a thrift store or from our own home.
I’ve also learned through my grandchildren….that today, many parents are saying “no gifts” for children’s birthday parties recognizing that kids have so many “things.”
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Lillian, glad to hear simplicity is being promoted by corporate America, which is rather strange. Maybe they are shifting to electronic commodities? Whatever means less throwaway, plastic items in the world. My younger son and his wife have given me a lot of 2nd hand gifts from thrift stores, and they are by far my favorites. The quality of new items often just isn’t there anymore. I am ecstatic to hear parents of young ones saying “no gifts.” I do think there is a connection between that and kids having cell phones, which has a world within them. I don’t think kids would put up with “no gifts” if they didn’t have a cell phone these days. BTW I hate cell phones for kids!
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