Is it Christmas already?.....NO!

I was at the mall yesterday and was overwhelmed with the amount of Christmas that was thrown in my face upon entering a few of the stores. Does anyone else out there find this to be completely ridiculous? It's not even Thanksgiving yet.

Remember when we were younger and there used to be excitement about Thanksgiving? Now it seems to be looked at as just another big meal - the assumption that all families make these big meals more often is insane to me. Wasn't the whole purpose of this holiday to get people to be thankful for what they have? What they've been blessed with? And what got our wonderful country to this point? I guess now that our country is full of people who think they are entitled to EVERYTHING no one needs to be thankful. Just greedy and spoiled. Sad, sad, sad.

I'm going to spend the next week teaching WMD what it means to be thankful. There are a slew of great ideas out there - hello, Pinterest! We are first going to start with a Thankful Tree (or branches, really). Everyday we are going to put a leaf on the tree that says what we are thankful for.

We will follow that up with a little unsolicited, anonymous generosity. I found out about a great organization called Just Bee Generous through WMD's music school. It's a great way to teach your children that giving does NOT always have to be reciprocated. Sometimes the best thing to get in return is the good feeling of just helping someone out or just being nice. Check this out! The lady who runs it (anonymously, no less) is fantastic and sends you the cards for free!

The Kiddo and I are going to actively look for ways to express our thanks. I have made it a point for WMD to know how to say 'please' and 'thank you', and he already knows how to use them without being prompted (he is only 20-months old, so for people to say that this is something that children don't understand until they are older is just silly - your child will only learn if YOU TEACH THEM). Practice makes perfect, and the next week is going to be a great lesson for him - and me, too!

I will admit, I have gotten into the Christmas spirit just a little. But I think it's just smart purchasing on my part. Why shouldn't I take advantage of the great sales? But why do they have to be Christmas sales? Maybe a different marketing plan would work? I don't know....Nordstroms has a great policy when it comes to the holidays (taken from a sign posted at their store):

at Nordstrom.....

We won't be decking our halls until Friday, November 27.

Why? Well, we like to celebrate one holiday at a time.

From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

When you start thinking about the holidays, remember that there is a big one coming up in just a little over a week. A holiday that is a time for reflection and a great time to teach and learn. Don't skip it. Especially if you have children. This is the perfect opportunity for you to teach others about what it means to be kind, generous, and thankful.

Have a great day! Happy hump day!!