Living in Contra Costa County

Christmas Music Out of the Comfort Zone!

I Love Christmas Music and I like Traditional Hymns, religious Music and fun secular Christmas Music.

I spend a lot of time on Pandora listening to Christmas Music. I have a mix going of all the types I like. Well there was a version of O Come All Ye Faithful that I had never heard before that I caught; and I loved it.

Now the reason I had never heard it before is I would not normally listen to a group called Twisted Sister. They kept the lyrics but rocked it up. It is great. Not sure about the video, but not really offensive. But here it is:

Last I checked everyone was welcome to come to Bethlehem.

Merry Christmas to All!

Our kids are going to have a great Christmas, even with money a little tight.  We always find a way to come up with more than we thought we could too.

Kids like a lot of things under the tree.  Often it is how it looks more than anything else.  If all they found under the tree was a gift card with a lot of money on it it might meet the material goals, but they really like all the presents and things.

Here are some tips to save money and make them happy:

1. Our kids all love Thomas the Train Stuff (and Brio etc).  We have bought lots of it over the years and it gets passed down.  Every year we had some pieces.  However, all the big stores (Walmart, Target) have generic sets that fit with them.  Track is track, those generic sets are cheap and can give you a lot of track.  Then when you can afford it add the expensive name brand pieces you want.
   
   
2. I have 6 boys and you can get caught up in all the building sets.  Lego, Tinker Toys, K'nex, Lincoln Logs, and other building type sets.  Try to focus on one or two systems and build on those rather than getting spread out.  There are also third party companies that work with Lego and some of these others that are cheaper.  We are pretty much Lego and K'nex (and we have special blogs that can tie the two systems together).
   
   
3. Cheap Stuff.  Most people say avoid cheap stuff.  Heck we spent an hour at the dollar store.  We got a lot of cheap little things to fill out the stockings and make it a bigger Christmas for the kids.  However, that does not mean it is wasted money.  We bought the 5 oldest ones those fancy balsa wood gliders that launch with rubber bands.  They will be busted up probably within a week, but they will have a lot of fun with them for a $1.00 each.  We find lots of good buys like that.
   
   
4. Coupons and Sales.  Often times you can combine the two.  My one son wants a remote control helicopter that goes for about $40.00.  They were marked down 1/2 off at one store and we had a $10.00 of coupon for any one item.  His best gift cost only $10.00.  He doesn't care. 
   
   
5. The babys is actually going to get old stuff (but very nice stuff) that belonged to his brothers.
   
   
6. We get the kids a lot of things they need anyway.  My oldest two are getting their Axe (this is what teen age boys spray on themselves by they gallon and think is a substitute for a shower).
   
   
7. We really don't spoil our kids with lots of stuff during the year.  Christmas is when they get it. 
   
   
8. Our kids are as excited about Christmas Dinner and a special Christmas breakfast as anything else.  Make your meals special.
   
   
9. Cookies are fun.  Popcorn balls are cheap.  As are other homemade goodies.
   
   
10. Remember, it is really all about Jesus and celebrating God becoming flesh; not to condemn, but to love us and have fellowship with us.  So have some fellowship and enjoy the holiday.

There is a lot of guilt in our culture about Christmas excess, both from the secular side and the religious side.  I understand that our thoughts should not be focused on personal pleasure, we need to be mindfull of the Reason for the Season, and take care of those in need.

But my wife and I always celebrate Christmas to the full extent of our ability and our kids will be spoiled.  Now most celebration is not about money.  You can put out a real nice spread fairly cheap for a Christmas Dinner.  It is the attitude you bring to it.  My kids can hardly wait for Christmas dinner and we will have some nice food this year.  But what really makes the meal special is the effort we take in seating the dinning room table, the gathering of the family and friends joining us, the reading of Scripture and finally a big old fashioned family dinner.

We do not spoil our kids with a lot of toys over the year, but tomorrow there will be a lot of toys.  Many we find on sale or buy at a discount on ebay.  In the past I have given my kids used toys buried in the garge.  The kids just like to see a big pile of presents under the tree.  Unwrapping them is a great surprise.  This year we have tried to move away from toys with small parts (You can never do this completely).  The exception to this is Lego's which we already have lots of; but can just join the Lego pile without creating a new mess.  We have tried to add to things the kids already have rather than start on new things.  My kids have many board games and toys we have bought ad ons for.  We have also bought a lot of small nick naks and toys that are cheap but they need.  School supplies, play do, markers, crayons, etc. . .  These are all cheap, but really make the holiday look bigger (we would have to buy many of these things any way.)

My wife and I love our family and both of us did not think we would be so blessed.  We love Christmas and doing all the holiday things with the kids.

Without getting too preachy even the Bible allows excess at times, but you need to be focused on the Reason for the Season.  In wealth or poverty I will celebrate it as best I can.

I love Christmas but also know it can be a painful time for some.  I have had my own share of pain associated with Christmas:

• When I was young my mother became ill shortly after Christmas and died.  She left behind me at 5 and my brother 3 and sister 2.  My dad was never the same.  My grandmother refused to celebrate Christmas for years.  For years this hurt me, and not just around Christmas.  It effects you growing up in ways you cannot imagine unless you have been there.
  
  
• As an adult there were many times I spent Christmas alone.
  
  
• After loosing one child my wife and I were trying hard to have our first child.  On Thanksgiving we found out she was pregnant again.  We decided to wait to tell people.  On Christmas eve I started to call Grandma to tell her, but noted it was late in the mid west and decided to wait until morning.  Christmas Morning my aunt called; Grandma had died in the night.  I never got to share that joy with her.

I do not let any of this ruin Christmas for me.  I love Christmas.  I celebrate it as big as I can.

At this time of year a lot of people will read from the Gospels Mathew and Luke about the birth of Jesus.  I love these stories, but I think of the Gospel of John.  That says in part John 1:4 In him was Life and that Life was the Light of men.  1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father full of grace and truth.

Now you may think those words are moving or you may not.  But consider this.  Jesus was not actually born on December 25.  The early church fathers wanted to replace pagan holidays with Christian ones.  What better way to Celebrate the Light Coming into the world than at the darkest point of the year.

Those pains of mine have been healed.  Although I miss my mom and wish I knew her, I would not change the life that has brought me the wife I love so much and my wonderful children.  Those hurts have been turned into strengths.  Sometimes when I get overwhelmed with the kids I am reminded of how lonely I am.  We try to include others in our celebration that may be lonely.  I know Grandma is in the hands of the Lord, she knows my joy.  I am reminded never to put off sharing joy with others.

Merry Christmas and even if you feel you are alone you are not.  If times seem dark there is a light.