High hopes and holidays, Vol. 1

I can't believe I am about to say this but. . .

there are only 155 days left until Christmas!

(Now don't you just want to slap me?!)

In all seriousness, though, I am ecstatic at the idea of Christmas '09. I am certain it is because it will be my first Christmas as a mom (with a child ex utero). Now we can establish our own family traditions, decorate our own tree, watch with delight as Noah opens his first Christmas presents. I might even cook a turkey!

Why, though, am I blogging about this during the summer?

Let me first say this: I have extremely high ideals for our family. I suppose this isn't different from most mothers! I regularly fantasize about a smooth blend of attachment parenting, distributism, delight-led learning (through Montessori and Waldorf-inspired education), apostolic farming and general togetherness centred around the liturgical year, with, of course, appropriate crafts to reflect the Church calendar. I realize I am not capable of meeting such high ideals, but isn't that the very purpose of an ideal? To set the bar higher than we think we are able to meet?

Because my ideal family life is so all-encompassing, it shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that I'm already thinking about Christmas. Since this is one of the highest feasts in the Church year, it is a wonderful solemnity for a family to celebrate! Who doesn't get a little teary-eyed at the sight of a young child reverently playing with the figures in a creche scene? I think children are the only people capable of seeing Christmas for what it is, because their nearness to the Christ Child, both chronologically and spiritually.

I think because of the innocent awe children have for Christmas, the devil, the flesh and the world have decided to destroy Christmas through them. The aggressive targeting of useless toys, made in horrible labour conditions, with such shoddy construction as to be destroyed before New Year's, that promote unimaginative play* at best to violent, and age-inappropriate hypersexualization of children at worst: these are what cut Christmas down at the knees and reduces it to nothing more than an excuse to indulge the lower passions in children. It is more than slightly ironic that in the Rosary, the virtue associated with Christ's nativity is poverty.

So how can one reclaim Christmas and make it truly Catholic, joyful, and beautiful?

How about Regina Doman's idea of the Rule of 3? I personally am in love with such a tradition. The Christ Child recieved three gifts -- gold, frankincense, myrrh -- so her children open only three gifts on Christmas day. Naturally, they recieve more than three via extended family, so the remainder are stockpiled until Epiphany. This idea is refreshingly simple, and I think prevents the mad rush so many children seem to be in to open each gift on Christmas day. When there are only three gifts to open, each must be treasured all the more.

I also like my sister's idea of having her children go through their toys and books during Advent and giving away some to children less fortunate. Adopting a spirit of penance and generosity as a family will assuredly bear much fruit for this beautiful family.

I also have my own ideas of making Christmas simpler, yet more joyful. These ideas might explain why I am thinking about Christmas already (think: homemade... handmade... beautiful yet practical...)

But this post is long enough already. I will write more on this topic when I have more time, and my thoughts are more organized.

*By toys which foster unimaginative play, I am thinking of things like Lego sets. You know, not Lego, which is actually pretty cool, but kits where the child has to only assemble the pieces based on the instructions and then often, never use the Lego again, because the the "work" is "done". Or toys from commercialized characters. If a kid has a Dora the Explorer puppet, the only thing that kid will make her puppet do is act out what Dora normally would do. There are many, many more examples of this, something I am quite excited to blog about in the future. Let's just say, the more I read about Waldorf and Montessori, the more I am convinced that these are the proper approaches to play.