There are usually two types of Christmas countdowns - the one that focuses on Santa Claus, and the one that focuses on VISA.
The Santa Claus is Coming countdown includes decorating the tree with meaningful ornaments, enjoying stockings and presents, singing well-known carols, preparing and sharing the holiday meal, and all the feel-good trappings of family gathering to enjoy traditions together.
The How Much Can I Put on the VISA countdown is more about getting started "buying stuff" early enough to spread out the costs and therefore avoid maxing out the credit cards at the last minute, anticipating what trendy gifts that are popular in the Fall will still be desirable in December, agonizing over the simple but impersonal easiness of gift cards, and attempting to avoid the pressure of matching home decor to a Pinterest Board.
I love Christmas and everything about it, and for about 40 years these have been my countdowns to the big day. Generally, the first one has been the driving force that kicks in the second one around the end of September each year. While the second countdown is not delightful, the two do compliment each other. They do work together.
Regardless of our changing "family structure" over the years, the boys and I have always celebrated Christmas in our house. With room for lots of family and friends. With a large tree. With lots of presents. With a big meal prepared in my big kitchen. With my collection of 75 Santas decorating the whole house. Bill and I have enjoyed all of this together with our six sons since 2008.
This year will be the same - and completely different. This year there is a new countdown added to the other two. This year will be the last year that Christmas will look like all the Christmases before.
This countdown continues ticking after Christmas Day.
It is very telling for me that as much as I adore all the traditions and sounds and smells and feelings of Christmas, I remain most excited about the new countdown.
I'm still looking forward to Christmas. I already have some gifts bought (that VISA countdown is more critical when aiming for debt-free by February). I've looked at flights from Seattle for Jeff. Jillian's stocking has been added to the other seven. I won't hate it when decorations show up in stores before Halloween.
Last year when I put away all the ornaments and lights and decorations, I did not include anything that wasn't used. Those things went in the yard sale pile, and meant two emptied storage containers. It felt like progress. It felt good.
There were still nine containers returned to the attic. Don't judge me :-). Some of the Santas are pretty big.
This year, when this last big Christmas is over, there will be one remaining container. Holidays will still happen every year, and our new home will look and feel like Christmas for a couple weeks. But in the foreseeable future our Christmases will be much smaller.
Like in all other areas of our life, only those things that pass the "most precious" test will make the final cut. Photos of all the Santas will be added to our growing album of memories. It will mean an empty attic. It will feel good.
Some of the more precious and breakable pieces may be added to the two "under a friend's bed" boxes that will stay behind. I'm hoping that family and friends will want some items, and that I'll get to see them enjoying a new life as part of someone else's traditions. My comfort with the purging isn't dependent on that happening, but would be a nice bonus.
When we first started discussing this lifestyle change I worried about all we would be "giving up" by not having the S&B. I thought that the "lasts" we would be passing through could be sad events. I anticipated we might dread these milestones.
I'm happy to say that the opposite is true. In addition to the joy of experiencing the event, I can now add the excitement of marking off another day, week, month from the countdown calendar! It adds happiness rather than causing sadness. There is no dread, only celebration.
So Santa Claus is Coming and the VISA will take some hits just like every other year. In January we will be just a few months from our launch, and Christmas countdowns will never look the same.
I just LOVE that santa on the roof of the RV. Don't know where you found it but it is PERFECT. Even after 4 years on the road there are some things about S&B that I miss. Not enough to go back mind you but growing fresh tomatoes, my local library and Christmas in the farmhouse are things I wish I could have kept. Do be careful not to disappear things that you may one day wish you had kept. That's what small storage facilities are for. You can always weed them out later once you are absolutely positive it's no loss for them to go. We cut our big holiday spending down long ago so it fits in the RV very well but I just haven't been able to get that fresh Christmas tree in the door. :-)
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, maybe grow tomatoes on a frame in a small bucket...then turn it over, put lights on it and it's a Christmas tree? Maybe not :-). I'll definitely hold on to those things with family memories, keeping them at a friend's house for now.
DeleteMaking new traditions in new places is fun too! We even stopped exchanging Christmas gifts with family at least a year before we sold the house...new traditions...we don't need "stuff" and no one else does either really. A good family get together is all the gift we need.
ReplyDeleteLast Christmas everything we received was for our life on the road. They are in a storage container awaiting their new home :-). I do love the idea of making new traditions - our kids' lives are so different from ours at the same age that I think we will follow their lead.
DeleteWe stopped all the spending on unnecessary gifts many years ago and took a family vacation to FL. It was such a huge relief to finally enjoy the holiday without constantly trying create gifts of unwanted and unneeded items. We never looked back. Our largest and only tub in the MH is for Christmas decorations. I love that I can decorate in under an hour and make the MH very Christmasy. It all comes undone even faster. It is very cool celebrating in different areas of the country, also. Everyone does it differently. We just need to be near an airport for our daughter to visit. I do believe you will enjoy the less pressure:)
ReplyDeleteSmart! I think we will really enjoy celebrating the holidays in different regions - participating in new traditions. We're already looking at places with RV parking and rental cabins for all the boys to "join us" next year :-)))). I agree that the freedom from gifting will be a welcome change.
DeleteJodee, your idea about finding an RV park with cabins or the like is a great idea. The RV park we are in has cabins and I was just making comment how convenient they are for RVers visiting with non RVer family/friends. Do bring a small collection to decorate your RV at Christmas time!
ReplyDeleteMaura
I think it would be the best gift ever to have all of us together in a completely new area - if we can get all six of them there is will be amazing :-)!! Absolutely have to take a few holiday touches for the new home.
DeleteI'm with you, those "lasts" were important and very exciting. I can't believe were already here! Christmas will be different, but in a good way. Like others, we will look forward to different areas. I brought a small ceramic tree, and one special ornament. That's it. Our special tree topper angel is safely packed away back home. We're thinking of getting a small real tree and then plant it before we leave. I've heard others say they go back later and it makes them happy to see the tree growing. We will be in Florida this year and that will be a big change from the mountains. Looking forward to it and flying the kids out! My parents and siblings may even come, how fun!
ReplyDeleteSee! I love that you're already excited about making new traditions :-). I'm thinking I'll have to have some kind of real tree as well - it's that smell! Maybe even decorated branches I get from a tree lot would do the trick. So happy you guys are out there already - safe travels :-).
DeleteRon and I have been empty nesters for 5 years now. We're in California, our son is in Oklahoma and our daughter & SIL are in Maryland. Three years ago, our son totally surprised us a week before Christmas. He took leave (he's in the Air Force), had his best friend pick him up from the airport and rang our door bell at 11PM!! THAT was the best Christmas present-getting to spend time with Alex! Family is all we need!!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! What a great surprise - the best gift ever :-).
DeleteI also have a countdown going in my mind, and on a stickie I have posted to my computer - it now says "12 months" and it used to say "14 months."
ReplyDeleteLast winter I decided to get rid of my Christmas stuff, all but the very few ornaments that really meant something to me or connected me with my childhood. And it felt good. But I can imagine how difficult that is. (And don't worry, no judging.) Good luck on climbing up and over that VISA mountain and being debt free by next February!
The 12 month marker is a huge milestone! Every month from now on will be the "last" one before you launch. Next week you'll start your last September - congrats!!
DeleteChristmas ornaments carry so many wonderful memories - keeping those most precious is a must for me :-).