| "I Just Love It!" | | | | tree and your pictures of Santa on the fireplace? |
| You know the scenario. You're sitting at the | | | | You genuinely said "I love it" and meant it. Your |
| family Christmas gathering and your ten-year-old | | | | children could tell. Your parents were sincere with |
| opens one of Aunt Martha's itchy homemade | | | | you. |
| sweaters. Or Uncle Bobby, who's been swearing | | | | You are what you give, how you give it, and how |
| to lose twenty pounds for years, opens an | | | | you receive gifts. It's easy to moan that the true |
| exercise cycle. Of course, if Uncle Bobby follows | | | | meaning of Christmas has been lost for our |
| the politeness rule, he'll say, "Thank you, it's just | | | | children. It's harder to turn away from the |
| what I wanted." (Then he'll conveniently "forget" | | | | traditional gift-giving grudge. |
| about it in the basement or storage closet.) your | | | | Some tips: |
| ten-year-oldmay not be as skilled at pretending as | | | | * Start making homemade gifts of your own. |
| Uncle Bobby, but kids know enough to know that | | | | Gifts of food, especially Christmas cookies, are |
| any answer other than "Thank you, Aunt Martha, | | | | always in season, and people genuinely love |
| I love it" will raise the roof. | | | | cookies. |
| There's nothing wrong with pretending you like a | | | | * Start a Christmas cookie party or recipe swap |
| gift that someone has consciously bought because | | | | with your family and friends. Get everyone |
| they think it suits you, you'll like it, or it will be | | | | involved. (Be sure to make some healthy |
| good for you. The saying "It's the thought that | | | | alternatives for Uncle Bobby.) |
| counts" is a truism. Unless you habitually don't put | | | | * Make a donation in someone's name, say to a |
| much thought into your gifts. Have you stopped | | | | breast cancer organization, a hospital, a homeless |
| to look at other people's faces when they open | | | | shelter, a nursing home. |
| your gifts? | | | | * Be honest about what you can spend. Be |
| The excuse "I'm too busy" only goes so far, and | | | | creative. Perhaps if you can't buy everyone a nice |
| your children know it. If you can take time out of | | | | gift, you can take friends out for a pre-Christmas |
| your week to exercise (or not, in Uncle Bobby's | | | | dinner instead of everyone frantically buying gifts. |
| case, and who knows, Uncle Bobby might have a | | | | * How many times have you said, "Oh, I don't |
| physical reason for not losing those twenty | | | | want anything, I'll love whatever you give me?" |
| pounds), rent a video, go jogging, go to the | | | | Kids are great at making requests. Take a lesson |
| movies, you can put some thought into the gifts | | | | from them. It's dishonest to expect others to |
| beyond recycling last year's "I love it" items or | | | | read your mind and then be disappointed about |
| heading to the mall. | | | | the gifts you receive. |
| It's important to let kids know that regardless of | | | | * Encourage others to be honest about what |
| the gift, sometimes politeness above and beyond | | | | they want. Even if you can't afford it you can ask |
| the call of duty is required. However, you | | | | for some wish list items, or say that you make |
| personally can create more honesty from your | | | | most of your Christmas presents. |
| kids and with your kids when it comes to gifts. | | | | * Always let your children know you love them |
| Remember when your ten-year-old made you a | | | | regardless of any gifts that are exchanged. |
| clay ashtray? You don't smoke, but you cherish | | | | Above all, remember that the first gift of |
| that homemade gift. Or how about when your | | | | Christmas is love, and that's something no one |
| parents hung your macaroni ornaments on the | | | | can fake. |