Here Christmas has always been meant for children. I did find out early that it's a drill to instill and maintain family values, whatever they are. It is a reflection of social culture, you make it what you want.I think it is
the way to keep tabs with family members who live far away.
Christmas itself is fading as it's been replaced by a religion free "holiday season". That's not news but we must keep family values and sacrifice a little of one's comforts and energy to maintain a positivity about it. That's what a gift means, not the gift itself but the presence of oneself around it.
Several years ago we have, as many family groups, adopted a "make your gifts" approach instead of buying stuff nobody wants because, face it, what do you buy rich uncles who have everything? Unfortunately that had a negative impact for those who have less creativity and manual skills. Now we do a "I have one but I don't want it anymore" gift. After 4 years in both of our families it still works. The idea is simple, just wrap an object you've hardly used or never unboxed and put it, unnamed, in a pile under the tree. Then raffle the gifts off. We chose a "name on paper in hat" type of raffle where one can steal the preceding person's gift.
We have no sports nor tv in those celebrations and it is important that kids be unplugged and incited to participate in the wild blabbering going about. I make it a point to meet with each person individually, eye to eye, soul to soul. Except with my father in law of course... he has no soul, not even the belly button of one.
