Christmas Gifts!?

Ok, so I am struggling a bit with Christmas gifts this year. Yes, I have already started shopping - I just love to plan for, search for and give people gifts! Have you ever heard of the "5 Love Languages?" Well, the way I show love is by giving gifts (got that from my mother). PS - that's not necessarily the way that I feel love, so this is not a plea for lots of presents for me this Christmas. :)

So what am I struggling with exactly? Giving gifts! I have lots of ideas, lots of people to give to and a reasonable budget set-up. But the problem is, should I be giving lots of gifts? Each year Nathan and I hash and re-hash our budget and purpose for giving gifts. Sometimes certain people get a more "expensive" gift than others. Some years friends or relatives are in "need" of some extra Christmas cheer. We try to be thoughtful in each item that we purchase. We also try very hard to buy very few brand new "from the store" gifts for our kids - because goodness knows that they don't need them!

And I think that is main thing that stresses me out each year; how much do we/others really need? Now, if you're a gift giver like me, the answer is "We need very little, but I enjoy giving things to people." I think that really can be ok - especially if I am shopping sales, maybe even buying free-trade or non-traditional items and of course, staying in a budget!!! (this includes NOT using credit to buy gifts...but that is a whole separate can of worms!)

But do I really need to get three gifts for each cousin, or do I only need to give them one? Do my children need three items that they "asked for" or do they only need to get one? Do we need to give any toys at all? Should we give our family money to a charity or a missions group? If you think I am being over the top I would not be offended. I waffle back and forth with this all the time! Jesus never said that money or stuff is bad; only what we do with it and how it affects our lives. But...have you ever had a lot of stuff NOT affect your life? :)

 I am not trying to convince you what to do. I'd simply encourage you...um, me... to think - really think about these questions - and remember how much I already have. And - oh yea. What is this whole Christmas thing about anyways???

Interesting related ideas: http://www.adventconspiracy.org/