My son's bedtime routine (like most little ones) is written in stone. After reading one or two books, we go to his bed and compare the notes for the day. I ask her if today was a good day and as a happy person she always says "yes".
After reviewing the highlights of the day - all the factors that made it a "good day" - I asked him which part was best. I was often surprised by the answer, but after much deliberation, I decided that this was the cause of something better. My child has his or her own priorities in order.
Noah's grandparents live in a different world, so when they visit, they often do more harm than good. One visit from my parents included a few small gifts presented at the beginning of the tour, a trip to Walmart with grandparents to buy a new electric guard, and another trip to Walmart with Grandpa to buy a new Spider-Man bike and hat. (Noah's first big bike). They also took him many times to the park, the children's museum, the McDonald's and so on.
However, after my grandparents left, I asked Noah about the best part of the trip. He thought for a moment and then said: "Going with Grandpa, I saw a dead possum."
The dead possum, is found in the path we follow every time we walk and eagerly observe the decay process. Every time we see a possum, Noah always talks about his grandfather and whenever they talk on the phone he updates his grandfather about the condition of the corpse.
Just think of these stories. Noah was gifted with gifts and a comfortable tour, but his favorite memory is an easy trip to the local airport and exploring the sites along the way.
Why spend so much money on holiday expensive gifts that they may be forgotten or thrown away or out - sometimes before the tinsel is discounted. Ultimately wasting our time and attention from our loved ones which is the greatest gift.
Not only is it a great gift for our loved ones (who may not need a dead possum to be imprisoned) but it is also a wonderful gift for us. The holiday season can be hectic, with its many crazy shops and boring traffic jams. Giving ourselves time to spend quality time with our loved ones is exactly what we should give ourselves this holiday season.
Sitting around a kitchen table and making homemade Christmas cards with Noah means that our holiday message will stand out from the crowd of pre-packaged glittering cards, and we will be spending countless hours giggling at our work with glue, paper, and scissors. I don't know about you, but I prefer to stick to a glossy glue rather than a rotting possum.
We are also working on her holiday gifts for various family members, who I know will be lovingly loved by their grandparents and cousins alike. In addition to making photo frames and holiday scarves, we create memories that I hope he will cherish for the rest of his life. And I hope I teach her that gifts from the heart mean more than just gifts from a bag.
However, he may already know that as he wraps himself under his pillow and a piece of cloth - both lovingly tied by his grandmother - to sleep in the afternoon.
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