As Christmas is approaching I can't help being drawn into the buy buy buy frenzy that seems to pick up energy as the big day approaches. I am also fighting it like crazy! I like the idea of St. Nicholas, the Saint who was a giver, who on the 5th comes and gives one present in a pair of shoes. I like the idea of one present on Christmas day, symbolising giving a present to a new baby, and I like the idea of the 6th of January when the 3 kings came to visit Christ each bringing a gift, for this to be another moment of giving. So why then do we give stockings full of presents to our children who lets face it don't really need any more 'stuff'?
Then, today I got triggered by a small boy wanting his dad to fill up his little 'car' with petrol, now these people are lovely lovely people, money isn't flowing in their life so why does this little boy (aged 5) have this, what I imagine to be expensive car? I know its fun bla, bla, bla BUT he doesn't need it. He next comes running out with a gun - if you have been reading my blog you can imagine my thoughts immediately one this one! 5 year olds DON'T need toy guns that make horrid very un-gun like noises. Their souls are still so innocent, so beautiful, and unless they are going to be a hunter why give it to them? THEN he says to my 2.5 year old do you want to come and see all my videos and games!!! I have to laugh at myself at this point. Again NOOOOOO look around you, look at the country we are surrounded by - we don't need these things. Just the same, girls don't need barbies with anorexic looking bodies, etc etc.
What shouts at me is what is all this un-needed 'stuff' doing to the sub-conscious part of our children's brains, psyche, and their souls?
We seem to have lost the art in how to be creative with our children. I have recently found some great 'how to' books for children in our local charity shop which has inspired me and my 2.5 year old to makes things which we then put on display and he LOVES looking at them, showing his father and grandparents so proudly what we have made. Surely isn't this more enriching for the soul, for building a relationship with our children, for inspiring the creative part of their brian for life?
From now on I am going to endeavor to teach my children about the giving Saint, St. Nicholas, celebrating the birth of baby Jesus and the gifts of the 3 kings, by buying small, hopefully supporting ethical producers and useful gifts that are needed rather than just wanted for 5 minutes and then forgotten about!
So getting back to the needs of our children, in my book what they really, really need not just at Christmas (but maybe this is a time for reflection on how we can give in other ways other than throwing cash at the problem) is love, attention, to be listened to, respected, felt heard, laughing and playing with their parents, sunggling and reading stories. Running outside, observing nature, splashing in puddles, eating nourishing food and feeling part of a loving family.
Mama Love,
Nixie
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