Change in perspective

Here we are in midst of the "Holiday " season which Christian's and non -Christians have adopted as a time of celebration and gift giving. After studying the origins of Christmas I found out some eye-opening facts from many sources. The Roman pagans in ancient times celebrated a festival called Saturnalia from December 17- December 25th which marked the beginning of winter solstice and honored Saturn, the god of agriculture. It was a hedonistic celebration with alot of lawlessness, indecency, drinking , and even human sacrifices. They would bring evergreen trees into their homes to decorate and worship.The evergreen tree was a phallic symbol in fertility worship. The pagans worshipped many things of nature. They would go from house to house singing naked which has evolved into Christmas caroling today. They also gave each other gifts. It was also known to be the birthday of an Iranian mystery god, Mithra ,the sun of righteousness . The early Roman church tried to recruit pagans into the church by incorporating pagan traditions into the celebration of Jesus' birth , even though most bible scholars will tell you that Jesus was not born on December 25th.The fact is that many of the traditions and customs that the world practices during Christmas today were adopted from pagan celebrations. And I don't want to forget to mention Santa Clause! He was the Germanic pagan god Thor. I strongly encourage you to google the origins of Christmas and all it's traditions. The fact that Christmas is the most commercialized holiday of the year makes it a very secular celebration. Stores are now open on Thanksgiving which was traditionally a day spent with family being grateful. Black Friday has now extended into Thursday . People spend nights camped out on sidewalks to ensure that they get the biggest and best flat screen TV. Lines are long everywhere you go. Don't even go within a 3 mile radius of the mall because you will surely get caught up in shoppers traffic. Sure, people are trying to be generous to there loved ones by buying them gifts. The question is, what happens when you get the credit card bill in January? Are you late on your rent because your son just had to have the $500 game system that every kid in his school has? Did you have to take out an equity loan so you could finance that new ipad, iphone and imac laptop for Billy, Bobby and Betty? Did you really need to get into a fight with that lady in the parking lot because she took your parking space? Are you stressed out because you just can't find a that perfect gift for your Aunt Margaret? The killings in Connecticut, the mall shootings, robberies, muggings all at a time of year when we're promoting "Peace and Joy". It's time to reflect on what is important in life.So many parents will not have the privilege of spending time with their little child due to the recent tragedies. What is your focus at this time of year? Have you sold out to the materialism of the season?  Love your friends and family the right way and remember , you can't buy love. Keep it simple and adapt your own traditions that are not of the world . My husband and I decided to forgo the gift exchange this year and give each other gifts at random times of year and surprise each other. We will give the children one gift each but will probably alter how we do things in the future. When you give a gift you should want to give and not feel obligated to give just because everyone else is . As for my family and I , this season , we're not going to focus on Jesus birth, but why he died for us.


On a more lighter note, if you decide to keep the tradition of gift giving, here are few ways to keep it simple and cheap.

1. Make something! I've been going to resale shops and deconstructing and reconstructing used clothes and jewelry. I just found a silk sari for $3.50 at the Salvation Army. I'm going to take it apart and remake it into a scarf. When I'm done I'll be sure to post the photos. Baked goods and chocolate are always winners as well as home-made soap.

2.I had this stack of Trader Joe's and Whole Food's bags just sitting there taking up space. The other day I needed tissue paper to stuff in gift bags for some friends for a non-Christmas event. I decided at the last minute to cut the bags into sheets and run it through the paper shredder, Voila! It was perfect strips of shred ready to fill the bags like tissue. I also recommend using the cut up bags as wrapping paper. Very eco friendly and green!

3.Buy something vintage from the thrift store or flea market that is really hip and cool. Buy something used? Alot of the trendy stores model their designs after vintage clothing. Antique jewelry is collectible and you can find some rare finds if you really dig hard.

4.Sign up for Groupon.com , Amazonlocaldeals@amazon.com, Travelzoo.com ,  livingsocial.com, retailmenot.com for tremendous savings on restaurants,entertainment, spas, retailers, fitness centers,  just about anything.

5. My new favorite product right now:



This stuff smells too good you would think it's edible! But it's not!It's for your dry, flaky skin. It's so rich and thick and goes right into your skin. It's great for dry cracked heels too. And , it's safe to say  that most of the ingredients are certified organic. This would make a wonderful gift and it only costs $4.99! I'm telling you, if you know someone who loves coconut, and so many people do, this would make a fantastic gift. Add a soap or body scrub , put it in a box and wrap using your Trader Joe's bag as gift wrap, use twine or jute to make a bow, and there you have a fabulous gift!

6. Give the gift of a yearly subscription to their favorite mag. By using magazines.com you can save 50-90% off the price.

For example: InStyle Magazine 6 issues for $12 which is 50% off the newstand price

7. If you a have a friend or family memeber with small children make a coupon on the computer for free babysitting for a night out with their husband or alone . I have a baby and I know I would love that as a gift:)

8.My kids are great at making coupon books and we love that! They give coupons for back rubs, foot massages, assistant for the day, cleaning the house, doing the laundry etc..

9. Photo books and calenders from snapfish.com make awesome affordable gifts for grandparents,aunts , uncles and any special people in your life. Just upload your favorite photos and they'll ship the finished product to you. You can order books as low as $11.99 for 20 photos. Calenders start at $19.99.

10. Hugs are free!