The focus this year in the Battles' home is on a peaceful and meaningful Christmas.  So often celebrating Christmas becomes insanely full of busyness and excess.  This year we're changing some things in order to keep it simple.  I totally stole this idea from another blog, but I have felt led for several years now to approach the "I wants" differently and this idea just works for us.  Starting now, our girls may request three gifts for Christmas:  1 to play with (Santa, of course), 1 to wear, and 1 to read.  Now, I have gotten mixed reactions about this plan.  Some people are on-board and get why we're doing this.  Some think we're terrible Scrooges.  Let me add here that they still get their stockings filled (under $20 a piece, though). 


Our motivation isn't the money factor.  For a few years our older girls have understood that we do have a "cap" on what we spend.  What I noticed this year was having that "cap" was sparking too much attention on what-all-can-I-get-for-that-amount.  That's not what I want my girls to spend December thinking about.  In reality, because our big girls' "play-with" items are getting more expensive, we're not actually saving much money.  Can I just say that both PJB and Molly have surprised me with how willing they are to do this?  I was completely prepared to have to fight to prove my point, but they're fine with it.  And, you know what?  I haven't heard a single "I want" since I announced our plan Saturday.

I'm just going to throw in a picture here to keep this interesting!  This is the swag above our front door.  I made it.  It's not florist-worthy, but I'm pleased!


I have actually had to work on myself more the the girls in terms of accepting this idea.  Since early fall I had planned on (and shamelessly plugged) getting Lilah a bigger play kitchen.  She's had the one that's in her room since she was two and it's really too small for her to play with now.  All Lilah has talked about since seeing a WalMart flyer back in October was Barbie and her swim puppies.  If we're really going to start this new tradition, that means only one gift can be to play with.  Lilah and I had a little heart-to-heart the other night and I asked her if she had to ask Santa for either the Barbie swim puppies or the new kitchen, which would she choose.  She said, "Swim puppies."  So, there you have it.  I've got to mean what I say.  (Her stocking may go over the $20 mark because she's getting some LeapFrog stuff.)

I'd love to know what you do to keep the "I wants" at bay.  Speaking of "I wants"...I want some spiced tea!  It's time get out the blender and mix up some mix.  I'm thinking this is going to be an amazing Christmas!