How do you kick off the holidays when your biggest worry is money? Yes, this topic is all too often taboo these days, especially during certain occasions like Christmas. We want to make people happy, we want to go with the flow, without ever actually saying the word “money.” Store sales, the kids’ requests piling up one by one and turning into a pyramid that comes crashing down on us every year… I know, a lame pun, but it’s better to crack a smile. Our credit card becomes our Mother Christmas—and a generous one at that; she never says no, at least not until the limit is reached.
It’s been almost a century since then—and I’m barely exaggerating. Back in the day, there weren’t any big-box stores or Amazon or anything like that. Oh no! Toys were made right there from wood found on the spot. The tradition in many families was to hang a stocking—not a Christmas stocking, no, your own woolen stocking—on the mantelpiece. On Christmas morning, if Santa had come by, you’d find an orange and an apple in your stocking. As my grandfather once told me, it was a great Christmas if you got two oranges.
Another tradition back then was going to midnight Mass by horse-drawn carriage, since not every family could afford a car in the 1920s. This was followed by a hearty, rich, and sweet meal prepared with love and whatever was on hand. When a stranger knocked on the door, we’d let them in because it was a holiday and everyone was entitled to a share.
Can you imagine, for just two minutes, our children experiencing a Christmas like that? I can see a hint of disappointment setting in pretty quickly. They’re so spoiled, so lucky—and we encourage it; we love them so much, we want the best for them. Sometimes yes, and other times no. The aftermath of Christmas drives us crazy; Mrs. Claus sends us the bill, and my little guy didn’t want a Paw Patrol stuffed animal—no, he wanted a superhero one! Damn it, I didn’t keep the receipt… Can you hear that voice telling you, “Well done!”?
At the end of it all, take the time to be with the ones you love, to tell them how you feel, to give them a big hug. And go visit the older members of the family, too—the ones who hardly ever get visitors the rest of the year. At Christmas, there are no excuses! The best gift is simply seeing people who care about us—and it’s free, too. Helping our kids realize this is also a wonderful gift to give and a beautiful tradition to start at your Christmas. And as for the rest? Oh well, we’ll pay for it in January!!
Happy holidays. Merry Christmas!
Karyne Cloutier