Ahh the Holidays

It is nearing the end of October and the holiday season is just around the corner. I used to love the holidays. I love being with family and I love the feelings that come with that time of year. Now I don't feel that way anymore. For Wes and I the holidays are sooooo stressful. We are expected to be in so many different places at once and we always feel so torn. We don't want to miss family get togethers, but it is inevitable. Our families also live 2 hours apart and so getting everywhere is impossible.

This year is even going to be more stressful because we have children. I should be so excited for their first Christmas but instead I am dreading it. I know that everyone is going to want to see them and I will feel terrible about missing things. I also dread the 2 hour drive we will have to make with them. They do pretty well, but it completely messes up their day. Not to mention they won't get to nap normally and so that should make for some LONG days.

Wes and I decided that we were going to set some standards now that we have the girls. We didn't like it, but we drove all over the place during the holidays in the past. Sometimes we even made the 2 hour trip 2 or 3 times so that we could be everywhere. That will not be happening anymore. We decided that we are going to make one trip and fit what we can into it and whatever doesn't work, just doesn't work. We want our girls to sleep at their own house on Christmas Eve every year so that Santa can visit them. We also don't want to rush to pack them up on Christmas day. In a few years, they will want to stay home and play with their new toys and we want to be able to relax and enjoy this. We have come to terms with the fact that we can't be everywhere and that our little family is most important.

We also decided to tell our families that we want a 3 gift limit for our children and for us. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, not about how many presents you get. We do not want our kids to be so wrapped up in what they get and not realize the true meaning of Christmas. I read somewhere that a family gave 3 gifts that symbolized the gifts that the 3 Wisemen brought. We thought this was a fabulous idea. We want them to be grateful for what they get and not rip through so many presents that they forget what they received. We told our parents that we know this may be a change from what they are used to, but that we would really like them to stick to this. If they feel that they would like to spend more money than what the 3 gifts cost we said we would love for them to give money for their savings account. I'm really hoping that the girls learn a valueable lesson from this.