Spending Undivided Time With Your Household This Christmas....And Avoiding Consumerism.

not my photo.
image  from http://wallpapers-xs.blogspot.com/

I have a huge issue with consumerism lately. I used to be one of those people who "shopped til you dropped", unfortunately that lead to excess stuff I didn't need, wasted money, and generally made me more unhappy than if I hadn't bought the items in the first place.

How many candles do you really need? What about the endless amounts of scented lotions that end up thrown out? Or the clothes that go unworn and end up donated or trashed ( please don't trash them!)? 

I just ran across this news report: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101276268

It appears that ToysRUs will be open 87 hours straight for shoppers to get their last minute shopping in.  It appears that Kohl's has decided to stay open for 100 hours straight. 

All of this happening after Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc.
 Is all of this really necessary? 
Do we really need STUFF that badly, or are we all trying to fill a void?

 For many that void can be time that is uncomfortable around family and friends, others the over inflated ego that comes with giving an expensive presents, for others just the compulsive feeling to BUY BUY BUY.

 I get it. I understand. I broke the habit. I am STILL uncluttering from years ago due to the need for "just in case" items, and " I can't throw away because Aunt Sally gave me" presents.

Honestly, our time with our families gets interrupted so much through out the holidays. Wouldn't it be great to sit down with your kids on Christmas day? No phone calls, no clutter? Wouldn't it be nice to enjoy Christmas movies, a big breakfast, and bake a birthday cake for Baby Jesus?

The time you spend UNDIVIDED with your kids goes a long way, and they deserve it. The traditions you have with your children set the traditions they have with their children. I think that the love they feel will spread the love to their children and beyond.

Do we really need 100 hours of shopping without stop? Do we need to fight the crowds on Black Friday for the best deal? What are our children seeing and learning from this? What is  the take away message?

How loved can our children feel if we are sitting with our iPhone's glued to our ears or faces on the Christmas holiday? Sure, the texts and Merry Christmas's do give me a boost, but is it really necessary when I have already sent a card? Could talk to these people at other times? Do I need hour long phone chats while my child is playing on the floor? How is that condusive to family time?

These things all swim through my mind this season.
  To my loved ones: You may not get a Merry Christmas text on Christmas day this year, if you call it may go unanswered until it is convenient for ME. It is nothing personal, I am just playing with my daughter and her new kitchen, or finally getting a few minutes to sit with my Hubby who has a day off. Maybe we are in the middle of cooking dinner or watching a Christmas movie.

You won't see us rush to a ton of stores. You won't see us in the return lines either. You won't hear us worried about our wishlist or what we did/didn't get for Christmas either. 

We are the ReInvented Household. We call ourselves ReInvented for a reason. We are ReInventing our lives, and asking others to join us. We want to have better relationships with each other, our child, and YES our family and friends. One on one time is so much more important than the hustle & bustle. It is so much more important than the presents.

Ok, so you are uncomfortable at a family gathering?  Play a game instead.  Do you really need presents to connect? Chances  are you hate that ugly sweater anyway, and the gift you are giving someone else probably isn't their cup of tea either. Put the wine down, put the food down, put the presents down....put the credit card down. Take a breath and look around at the atmosphere, the people you are with, your children, your pets. Spend time. Turn off your phones & just be with the people who are with you.....you can talk to the others another day.

This is how I feel. Hubby and I aren't showering each other with gifts this year, and I am sure the stores hate us for it. Who cares. I am perfectly happy if we don't buy each other a thing. Love is all we need.

Baby A on the other hand is going to enjoy her new toy kitchen, and mommy & daddy are going to have a lot of home cooked meals prepared by Chef Baby A :) 

Do you feel the holidays have become too much about consumerism? Do you feel the need to BUY BUY BUY? Do you have trouble finding uninterupted time on the holidays with your children because of phone calls & texts?

Please share below! I would love to hear from you!! All opinions welcome!!