With Thanksgiving just days away, and Christmas right around the corner all I can think about is all those little faces of kids in orphanages that won't have a full tummy on Thanksgiving, or  families to love them for Christmas. To be honest, I am a shopper, a couponer who is always getting things for free.  Black Friday is one of those days that I look forward to every year.  However, this year is different because I am trying to save every extra penny.   Even so, I will probably go just because....
It's the beginning of the Christmas season  and consumerism is what lingers in my every thought.  Do we need this or that, is it really going to make my son happy to have one more lego set.  Today, I bought lego sets for 9.00 each thinking what a great deal but really in the whole scheme of Christmas is another lego set going to really make a difference. I mean stores are filled with people with carts full to the brim of stuff, that will eventually break and be thrown away.  Yes, I sometimes can get caught up in it too.  Is that really what I want to teach my children, that stuff is what makes us happy in this life.  No, and I think we as a family do a good job of showing our boys that a giving heart is so much more fulfilling.  That is something that is important to us, for our boys to understand where our happiness should come from.  Two of my boys have suggested that they give up there Christmas this year and have the money instead go to Nellie.  Oh, how I love them so much. I would squeeze them but my thirteen year old doesn't think that is cool anymore.  I probably won't let them give up gifts entirely but what character does that build?  Really, kids thinking of others instead of themselves at Christmas time.  I am one proud momma.