December Magical Moment #1 Friends

[Gingerbug]

December Magical Moment #1

Friend
That word holds many connotations. Friendship is the thread with which we weave the tapestry of life. Some of the threads travel throughout the entire tapestry, while others are shorter, end abruptly, or fade out among the other colors. So is the nature of friendships. Real, long lasting friendship requires nurturing. It doesn't happen in the workplace between 9-5 or at Happy Hour on Fridays. It happens in the REAL world with all its imperfections. It reminds me of a quotation from the Velveteen Rabbit about becoming real:

"It doesn't happen all at once" said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand"

The Velveteen Rabbit By: Margery Williams with illustrations by Willima Nicholson. Orginally published in 1922.

Thoughts? Reflections? Where are you in becoming REAL?

 

[Cathymac]

Re: December Magical Moment #1

This is the third attempt to answer this question! Very thought provoking!

I think I'm more "real" than I've ever been and hope to continue to grow. I have finally realized that Christmas is about much, much more than how many gifts you can pile under a meticulously decorated designer tree with the color coordinated ribbon, ornaments and gift wrap. I still love that look, and I'll likely have it again after my kids are bigger. But I have a 6 & 7 year old, along with an about to be 15 year old. They need Christmas Magic! Not a mother who's obsessed with a perfect tree. So, we're having our Old Fashioned Country Christmas this year, with our mish-mashed tree and all!!

DH and I have made a conscious decision to cut WAY back this year on gifts. We are giving either experience gifts (like the room in a can idea mentioned in another thread) or homemade food items or something else that we'll make. I've always thought this was just a way to save money, but it's really a gift from the heart. Anyone can go out and buy a gift...but not everyone can make "Ms. Cathy's Chili" as my friend's 13 year old son calls it. So, he's getting a gallon jar of chili. Even DSabouttobe15 thinks that's a great idea!!

So, I think this year may end up being our best Christmas ever, despite some financial setbacks and difficulties!

Thanks, Ginger for this kick in the pants reminder that we SHOULD be getting better as we get older!!

 

[Lana]

Re: December Magical Moment #1

Cathy, I love gifts like that, but seldom get them because people think they have to buy something. This is a bad year, gas prices up, 2 kids in college. They work but the son seems to have bosses (on 2 different jobs) that don't care if they work or not sometimes and with gas, truck pmt and school isn't good on him or us. He is a worker but can't get a break! Anyway, we are doing several homemade or gifts that are needed and used. Crocheted wash cloths, crocheted scarfs, got a deal on some cookbooks, had extra material so made quilts. Also people like our canned dill pickles and beets so.............

 

[momof2boys]

Re: December Magical Moment #1

I love the idea of homemade gifts. I am a little late for that this year but I have started to brainstorm some great ideas for next year, and not just for christmas but for mother's day, but bdays too!!! This year we have scaled back on the presents. Its a change but already this year we have done so much more with spending time together and enjoying the christmas spirit that I get that warm fuzzy feeling inside. I love watching my kids get exicted over things like driving around looking at christmas lights or getting into our pj's and making a snack (our favorite snack are warm muffins fresh out of the oven) and watching a christmas movie. we never really did that in past years. I guess we stressed ourselves out so much finianically by trying to keep up with others that we missed the best part. Being a family.