Holiday Wrap

Every December, we struggle. Our sensible, thrifty senses battle against our desire to give our kids every damn thing they want. But being a two-holiday family, we have to carefully watch out. Not only do we not want to break the bank ... we also know that a gluttony of gifts is distasteful and can send the wrong message to our kids about what the holidays are about.

So, this year, we decided to adopt a family who otherwise wouldn't have any presents to open in December. We were given a Jewish family: a mother and three kids, ages 5, 8 and 11. We don't know who they are because they're living in a domestic violence shelter. We bought essentials, like shoes, clothes and make-up, and special requests from their wish lists. Then, we went to a gift-wrapping party at a school in Tarzana to wrap and drop off all our gifts.

It wasn't hard for the kids to understand why we were doing this, but it did bring up lots of difficult questions: Why did their daddy hurt them? Why don't they have any money? Why can't I have that skateboard instead?

I get so scared of getting lost in the consumerism and spirit of getting, that it seems this is the only way to counter-balance December's spell. I also want the boys to learn that the holidays, and the entire year, are about more than presents.

Keeping in the true spirit of December, though, we did find lots of time for appropriate holiday activities. We had the Messingers over for some candy house building:

And I took the boys to the Skirball Cultural Center's Hanukkah Festival. There, they sat very patiently through an odd, abstract interpretation of the Story of Hanukkah, as told by shadow puppets.

But they also heard a new Hanukkah book as read by the author ("Hanukkah Hop") and bought the book that we had her sign. They made little menorahs out of copper wire and beads and heard lots of festive music. (We opted out of eating potato pancakes though, cause man, that line was long!)

Then, smack dab in the middle of Hanukkah, it was Christmas. We love the warm, seasonal and festive way Grandma Sheila and Grandpa Steve celebrate the holiday, and look forward to spending a couple days with them every year to eat great food, enjoy the company and the decorations and, of course, open presents on Christmas morning.

Pokemon Black for the Nintendo DS ... he kept his nose in that game for two days straight:

He didn't seem thrilled with his Phineas and Ferb Wii game at first. As I write this, he is playing it and loving it.

Pk