Tradition Schmadition

In my last post, I proposed sending holiday traditions up the proverbial river, in an attempt to minimize the pressure and stress of ThanksgivingChristmasNewYearsEve (all one word as it's all one thing) planning.  These include the perfect family holiday photo in matching LL Bean plaid or (God forbid) white shirts, jeans and bare feet (did that), the annual tree-cutting-down journey, or the collecting every darn one of the Hallmark NFL ornaments since 1994 (did that too).

I suggest to ask yourself this one true-to-minimalists' hearts question:  Does it (this tradition) add value to my/my family's life?  If the answer is no, or uhhhhh.... then quit that shit.  Stop wasting everyone's time with force feeding them trips to the mall to see Santa because you HAVE DONE IT EVERY YEAR AND THIS YEAR WILL BE NO DIFFERENT, YOUNG LADY! I know Mama, you care, it DOES add value to your life, because you're desperately trying to keep the family traditions going even through the spouse/kids just go along with it so you won't lose it in line at Target like last year.

It's ok.  I hereby grant you permission to not give a shit either.  Your kids will still love you.  Your spouse will likely love you MORE because he didn't have to get up from the Thanksgiving football game to don a matching outfit, force the dog into his matching one, and rally the kids for the annual photo.  Trust me, we all know none of you actually WEARS the ensemble you're sporting on the card. So save your efforts on your picture, and post one on Facebook where you're all eating chips out of the bag and still in your jammies at 2:30 pm on Sunday.

Same with Santa.  I know you have all those consecutive years of Santa pics framed and proudly displayed to boast about how "we go EVERY year".  We get it.  The Christmas lover's OCD dream. But then you realize 2007 was the year the whole family had the flu the week before Christmas and DAMMIT if the mall wouldn't extend Santa's stay just ONE extra day, so you would get your freakin picture done!  I digress.   Value added to your life?  Probably notsomuch.

What if you collect nutcrackers/snowmen/angels/nativity scenes?  I mean, I get one EVERY year!  I always add to my collection!  My collection is amazing!  Have you ever SEEN such a complete set of reindeer/Santas/Hallmark ornaments?  Now, if your heart leaps each and every time you look at all your nutcrackers and their nuts they crack, then, by all means, please enjoy your collection.  It won't be me stealing your holiday joy.  BUT.  If you are annoyed to have to painstakingly unwrap and re wrap those little buggers again after Christmas is over, and you don't take time to enjoy them, perhaps have a one-sided conversation with each one about his provenance, nut cracking skills and style, then quit it.  Just abandon those exponentially growing collections.

Christmas is about giving love and moving mountains to praise Christians' savior and His birth.  I am reticent to interpret anything in the good book about sales, collecting Santas, and credit card debt. My biblical knowledge is sketchy at best, but it looks like we are so far away from Christmas' meaning here in Consumerville.

Don't worry about your broken traditions, incomplete collections, or the fact THIS year we had enchiladas for Christmas dinner instead of ham.  Your people will still sit down to feast with you, share the meanings of Christmas with you, and if you're lucky, wait in line with you at the Returns counter.  Happy Thanksgiving, Minimalists.