If you are like me, you enjoy Christmas shopping.  This time of year, there is always something in my mind that pictures it being like it’s shown in the movies.  You know, a crisp, winter day – Christmas Eve, of course.  Everyone is dressed sharply as they bustle through the shops and streets to pick up that last gift.  All the sales people are pleasant, informed and helpful.  Best of all, NOTHING is “out of stock” or hard to find.  The winter storms don’t keep anyone from getting home in time and the families genuinely seem to enjoy all the time they are together.  OK, so that’s not really the way it is!

More than I want to receive the “perfect” gift (whatever that is), I want to have some fun while I am shopping during the season.  To make that happen, I am employing these 5 ways to make shopping this year as enjoyable as possible.  Feel free to use them and enjoy your shopping too!

1. Think like a child.  When I shop with my children, I see things completely differently.  I find that they experience many of the trappings of the holidays because they are not focused on shopping only.  They actually see and enjoy the decorations.  They get excited when its cold enough to “see their breath”.  They enjoy seeing Christmas lights and store windows and yard decorations.  As for shopping, I find them to be generous and thoughtful about the gifts they choose not to mention they are genuinely excited about giving them.

2.  Buy locally, when possible.  With the economy in the shape it’s in, it’s probably safe to say that buying anything from anybody will help.  If there are stores (and storeowners) that need a good holiday season to make it, do what you can to buy from them instead of from a big chain or online giant.  The personal service is definitely better and you will know that your money is staying close to home with folks that will spend it in your community.

3.  Stop searching for the “perfect” gift.  Chances are good that such a thing does not exist anyway.  Not to mentiona, you can relieve yourself of LOTS of shopping pressure if you don’t start the journey to find it.

4.  Change your perspective and don’t view it as a “chore”.  Whatever our financial circumstances, we are wealthy in the eyes of so many others (in our nation and around the world).  If we can see our ability to give gifts (of any size and description) as a blessing and not a chore, we are bound to find ourselves smiling through our shopping trips.

5.  Be personal, thoughtful and creative.  Instead of roaming the stores looking for something to buy for everyone on your list, try to think of something specific that will appeal to each person.  Take some time to be creative and personal with the gifts you buy.  It will be much more fun to shop (and to give) when you know the recipients will have something picked especially for them!

For other thoughts on holiday shopping and gift giving…

50 Ways To Simplify Gift Giving This Holiday - Tess @ The Bold Life

6 Holiday Shopping No-Nos  @ Being Frugal

5 Ways To Stay On A Budget During Holiday Shopping Season - Jayne O’Donnell @ USA Today

I ran across a great giveaway at  Simple Mom  and wanted to share it with you.  Visit this post  to see how you can enter to win a beautiful Nativity Luminary.

9 years ago this morning, I arrived at the hospital for the birth of my oldest child.  I had been in labor at home for about 5 hours and, when I made my way to the nurses station just before 4 a.m., I was already exhausted and in pain.  The nurses that greeted us were perky, almost giddy.  Believe me, I was NONE of those things!  As I got settled in my room, I found out that everyone was so excited because they had just successfully delivered triplets – all boys.

Later that day, I delivered my own baby boy.  As I dealt with the overwhelming feelings of insecurity and incompetence I felt as a new mother, “that woman with the triplets” kept coming to mind.  During the first few months of my son’s life, whenever we dealt with something new or frustrating, I was reminded of “that woman with the triplets”.  Immediately, I would realize, no matter what I was facing (teething, feeding issues, sleeping), it was SO much easier to deal with 1 instead of 3!

I never met “that woman” and I never saw those boys.  I have thought of her often, though, and prayed for her whenever those thoughts have come.  Today, like every December 6, I think of her and pray again.  In her home, just as in ours, there is a celebration of the birth of a son (or 3).  Our celebration is earlier than the one the whole world will join but no less important!

Happy Birthday Boys, ALL of you!

Rejoice

Enter

Sing

Thank

Psalm 100

Finished this month:

American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld

Hello Goodbye - Emily Chenoweth

Finished for Review this month:

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little - Peggy Gifford

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano - Peggy Gifford

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank You Notes - Peggy Gifford

Raising Boys To Be Like Jesus – Sharon Norris Elliott

God’s Girls In Sports - Holly Page

Currently Reading:

The Shortest Distance Between Two Women - Kris Radish

TBR This Month:

Every Secret Thing - Ann Tatlock

The Millionaires - Inman Majors

The Late, Lamented Molly Marx - Sally Koslow

TO:  Me
FROM:  Me
RE: Small Voices

Please make a note of the voices you hear coming from the
children's bathroom while they are showering at night.  They
don't realize you can hear every word!

You'll notice the oldest one (almost 9) is singing "The Old
Rugged Cross".  He's proud to have heard it in the worship
service yesterday after having learned it at camp last
summer.

The youngest (6) is paying no attention to the fact that you
don't start playing Christmas music until AFTER Thanksgiving.
She's already in the holiday spirit and she's belting out
"Silent Night" to prove it.

Remember to be thankful for those special, small voices.

Renounce (your)

Efforts

Submit (to)

Christ

Romans 9:16

Just one thing to share this week.  I couldn’t agree more!

No, Virginia, Christmas Is Not Here Yet - Eric Felten, The Wall Street Journal

Even though I will probably be late getting there this morning, I am thankful for my CBS (Community Bible Study) Class.  It is a group of women committed to the Lord, learning about His word and caring for each other.  It is truly my privilege to have a place like this to go each week!

See what others are thankful for today at Rebecca-Writes!

On Tuesday mornings, I have the privilege of being the PARENT LISTENER in my 1st grader’s classroom.  This means that I spend 20-30 minutes listening to kids read out loud.  They take great pride in sharing their abilities and I love seeing their progress from week to week.  We get to talk about children’s book characters and I learn a little bit about their personalities during the few minutes I get to spend with them.

Today, I am thankful for the gift of reading.  Because I can read, I enjoy endless hours of entertainment and learning that I couldn’t experience without it.  Because my children can read, we share stories and time together traveling to places found only in our imaginations and the pages of books.  Also, because we can read, we can learn.  Being able to read means that we are never limited to what we already know. 

If you are able to read, be thankful to have been given that gift.  Visit Rebecca Writes to see what others are thankful for today AND figure out some way to give others this incredible gift.