Black Friday

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!" - The Grinch

I've never been all about black Friday, even as a former shop-a-holic. I've never been one to lose sleep just to save a few bucks. This accumulation of things that has people obsessed has begun to boggle my mind. I'm curious as to how many purchases will be put on credit cards and the finance fees that will make up for the money they "saved" while shopping.

The past year at Christmas and on his birthday, the first words out of Brighton's mouth were "where are the rest of my presents?" We knew then that this sense of entitlement he had needed to change. Hence, the simplification we've done to the toys and parts of the house over the past few months. Christmas will focus on Jesus' birth. We don't do Santa Claus, never have. We feel it definitely takes away from the meaning of Christmas, although taking Santa out of the equation and smothering them with gifts, would do the same. They normally get three gifts from us and I hope that this tradition will transfer over to grandparent's houses as well. :) I went crazy over the summer and loaded up on 75% off toys at Target and have kept most of them in the garage for Christmas. Now I have no desire to re-clutter our house with new toys. We're planning on finding the toys a good home in the near future where they can be valued and not just thrown in a toy box and forgotten about.

As you shop this Friday and spend money you don't have on things you don't need, remember how blessed we are in this country to have a whole day dedicated to shopping when children are starving in other countries.

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