Several years ago, when my kids were 7 and 9, I inadvertently started a new tradition. I had grown tired of the plastic toys and clothing in large boxes under the tree that gave me visions of the utility bill budget heading south for the winter. Games that never made it past New Years and clothing that ended up in a heap on the floor with candy wrappers and school books.
So I made a change. A unilateral decision that changed our lives. I decided to stop giving presents and give presence instead.
The concept is simple, really. I would buy "an event" for the coming year to do with each member of my family. The key is that you have to go with them. This is not just a pair of tickets to something where they can invite a friend to tag along. This is a designated special time that you give as a gift to someone that they can look forward to spending WITH YOU!
We have experienced so many wonderful times together with this new tradition. Ballroom dance lesson with my son, building a set of golf clubs with my daughter, a summer concert, picking apples in the fall. The idea is to fill the tree with the gift of time - things we can all look forward to doing with each other throughout the coming year. We mark each event on a special calendar and look forward to the "gifts' all year long.
So while the "buzz" of Christmas presents has faded away by the first of the year, I will be having bagels on the roof with my daughter in August because she gave me the gift of her presence.
Merry Christmas!
