Minimalism at Christmas

So it is that time of year. Christmas, when everyone is in such a good mood and we buy in excess from Thanksgiving until New Years! I did not (and never do participate) in Black Friday. There is nothing that I need bad enough to get up early and wait in long lines with grouchy people. So what do I do about Christmas after months of purging my house of excess stuff?

I'm looking at Christmas a little different this year. The decorating has begun and it is far from a minimalist display. I put up one large and two small trees in my two-bedroom apartment. It's crazy and it is too much work, but I like it and so do the kids. I'm taking the decorating time to purge out decorations that we don't use anymore. That's going well and hopefully means I'll have less to put away this year. The only problem is, it seems like the storage closet has grown in the amount of stuff it contains again and I'm not sure why. I just know I feel like purging a whole lot of stuff again.

So how am I going to deal with the onslaught of toys that come into the house this time of year? Well, they aren't coming. Lucky for me the boys still believe in Santa. They felt pretty good about the cleaning out we did and have been pretty good about not asking to bring too much back in. They asked for things for their birthday that they actually really wanted and play with. It was a good test run. So, I told them that I'd had a discussion with Santa about our choice to live with less, and that he was going to comply with that by just bringing some really special stuff he knows they'll enjoy. Lucky for me, they seemed totally fine with that.  They even altered their lists and I think the things they want are really what they truly want.

The thing is, I know this is more my issue than theirs. They have Christmas with their father and step-mother, with their step-mother's family, and with their grandparents on both sides. They'll get plenty. So it's just my fear of looking like I don't love them enough to buy them stuff than any real need they have. They don't need any of it and will probably be a lot happier with the few good things I get them over all of the stuff I've gone overboard with in years past.

So, I'm being very selective about the gifts this year and we will see how it all goes. My hope is that when they open their gifts they are just as happy or happier than in years past and that when it is time to put it all away it will be easy to do!