Comments on: Dear Moms, How to Simplify Christmas (and Enjoy it!) This Year

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 04:41:57 +0000

That list makes me more nervous then just going with the flow.

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 18:59:35 +0000

The information is always great, but this “do-less” list is really helpful. Thank you, Mama. Happy Chanukah ? and Merry Christmas ? Have a healthy, happy new year.

By: Brittany

Brittany — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 16:41:27 +0000

You quote Chesterton! That makes my day!

By: Bailey

Bailey — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 13:54:44 +0000

Great article. Love any quote by Chesterton of course. I love also the tradition of one gift a piece and waiting until Twelfth night (the eve of Epiphany) when the Magi arrived to adore the Christ child. Many blessings to you this Advent and Merry Christmas 🙂

By: Katie - Wellness Mama

Katie - Wellness Mama — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 16:21:27 +0000

In reply to Ashley. We've had the discussion with extended family about it so they know we don't want (or need) lots of material things for Christmas. It was a challenge at first, but they're on the same page with us now.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 12:54:18 +0000

I love your blog and use your resources constantly. I would love to minimalize our gift giving to our young kids and follow something similar to you. However, my parents and inlaws bombard my kids with gifts. They are loving and sweet, but it stresses me out and I feel like I have to compete.
Do your parents and inlaws take on the same “experience” gift idea? If not, how do you handle that?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 03:16:34 +0000

YES!!! This year, we used only donated and handmade decorations. It really helped us to minimize and de-stress, and our kids had a blast making memories! We had our own Ugly Christmas Sweater tree trimming party and it was so fun to see how much they got into it all, rather than me fussing over my Christmas tree to make it “just so.”

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 04:31:24 +0000

Thanks so much for this post Katie. Now that the kids are getting older, I feel that we need to transition from material-oriented holiday to “something else”. This post will really help me come up with parameters for future Christmases.

I will say (rather guiltily), we did have fun watching the kids’ eyes light up on Christmas morning, and it did make Christmas bright for us, but we also “justified” it by giving all of their old toys to charities over the years. That’s not to say it was right or wrong to do that, but we are moving towards a new stage in our lives; one that I think will become more meaningful to all of us. Your post will help us come up with parameters for this.

Thank you, as always, for sharing your ideas.

By: Wellness Mama

Wellness Mama — Mon, 26 Dec 2016 22:13:07 +0000

In reply to Sheyona Lightheart.

I think this is recipe you’re referring to? https://wellnessmama.com/2079/corned-beef-cabbage/

By: Sheyona Lightheart

Sheyona Lightheart — Mon, 26 Dec 2016 21:59:33 +0000

Hi! Merry Christmas to you and yours???

Could you put up your recipe for Corning beef to make corn beef and cabbage !?! I made it a few years ago from your receipt and it was great ??

Thanks so much??

By: Krista

Krista — Mon, 26 Dec 2016 19:05:04 +0000

Shared Christmas Dinner. We rotate who hosts. The host makes the turkey. Everyone else brings the rest. That way no one is cooking instead of visiting!

By: Alexa t

Alexa t — Mon, 26 Dec 2016 17:32:43 +0000

The last few years left us disappointed that we couldnt do it all. This year we decided to not have traditions. Instead we will start each season with a family meeting to decide what we will do in december. We used your experience list for inspiration this year! Then we put it all on the calendar. This way everyone knows what to expect. We also dont exchange gifts anymore. The extended family sends so many that it becomes a problem. We go through everything we own and donate all the excess in december simply to compensate. We open all the gifts on christmas eve and we dont do santa. (we’re not anti-santa) then on christmas we try to do something to help further spiritual growth. After church this year we took communion and goodies to shut-ins.

Also a note about the ads, i use the mobile site and have never seen an ad. I do have an ad blocker on my phone but it usually leaves blank space where the ad was. It doesnt do that with your site. If people have an issue with the full version, you might suggest switching to a mobile device.

By: Debra

Debra — Mon, 26 Dec 2016 16:42:45 +0000

Our family started with simplicity. We drew names at Christmas and set dollar value at $5.00, however with today’s cost would change. A lot of the gifts were usually handmade. Crotched vests, knitted slippers, or embroidered hankies. Sure some were bought, but they were always well thought out gifts. My grandmother was a master at crochet, I still have and cherish a filet crocheted horse picture that she made me as a child, as I was, and at 60 yrs. old, still am a horse fanatic. Christmas was always alternated at daughters houses and grandma’s so no one was stuck with doing Christmas every year. Everyone was assigned to bring a dish, which helped with all the cooking chores. At the end of the day, names were drawn, dishes decided upon, so that the following year everyone knew what was expected of them. It was simpler then, everyone conversed with each other without having to compete with smartphones & Facebook postings. Us kids, played together and not with controllers in hands and eyes fixed to the TV.

By: Wellness Mama

Wellness Mama — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 15:48:19 +0000

In reply to Tara. Hi Tara, thanks for your comment. I really value the feedback on them and am still trying to find the balance of making the site super user friendly but also allowing advertising to help pay for the expenses of running a popular website. It's a tough balancing act to be sure and I plan to reduce the number after the new year. Thanks again for reading and providing valuable feedback!

By: Tara

Tara — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 11:00:07 +0000

Love the article and your blog. I used to love it and read every article, couldn’t wait for the next one came out, But rarely read it anymore due to hundreds of ads. I remember a post from you asking about adding ads to your blog and that if you chose to do so it would be the odd ad tastefully placed and relevant to blog. It’s the opposite, yet another blog plastered with irrelevant annoying ads out to monetise from people.

By: Rachael

Rachael — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 15:24:02 +0000

We have also pursued simplicity. Our kids get one gift from mom and dad (usually a book) and one from a cousin and grandparents. I still feel like it’s a lot. We do food in stockings not toys, treats that they don’t often get. This way they get to open a stocking but I don’t end up with piles of junk toys.
We also have changed our Christmas feast to pizza on paper plates. (Which is way out of the ordinary for us) Very little work and clean up. I love it!