There are a lot of things I miss about living in the US (cheddar cheese, good Mexican food, lots of family) but one of the things I definitely do not miss is all the holiday hype. Sure, I love holidays, I'm no grinch. I don't like being forced to celebrate holidays. Especially forced to celebrate holidays on steroids. 'Holidays on steroids' is a scientific term you will find in any respected medical journal (as soon as I handwrite it in there) used to describe celebrations that differ from the original intent of the holiday or any elaborate celebration that takes more than minimal planning and execution.
You like super celebrations and fancy decorating--great. You're creative and into giving lots of gifts, super. I don't like having those expectations forced upon me. I'm lazy and cheap and I don't like having a high bar of celebrating. Especially when I don't understand what I'm celebrating.
I'm a big fan of the Resurrection, don't get me wrong, I'll celebrate that part any day, but the Easter Bunny, plastic eggs, pastel colors? Where is this all coming from? What do we even know about this Easter Bunny guy--and why are we letting him in our house? And don't even get me started on Easter baskets. Didn't my kids just get a bunch of presents on Christmas. Don't they have birthdays? What's next? A ship full of toys from Britain for the 4th of July?
Here in a Buddhist country, far from the commercialism of America, my kids have next to no expectations and I love it. If my kids saw the Easter baskets some kids get they would be floored, and a bit confused as to why those children were celebrating Christmas in April--also, they want to know if those families are willing to adopt them. When I mentioned the concept of Easter baskets full of gifts, massive egg hunts, and new dresses to my non-American friends, they were confused. Sure, chocolate eggs but everything else? Why?
Eliot asked me a few days ago where our Easter decorations were. I pointed to a picture of Christ, "Right there." I said casually. She then told me in a serious voice, "I will color us some pictures of eggs and bunnies." Great, go right ahead, after that there's some dishes in the sink you can wash.
So if you like decorating your house and giving Easter baskets, I'm glad--keep doing it. But when we do something, not because we want to, but instead because we are trying to maintain an image or keep up with others, we lose the holiday. It will leave us feeling drained and overextended, not grateful and restored. Holidays are to be celebrated, not endured.
My expat holiday motto is, "do as much as I want to do and nothing more". My kids are so privileged, just by virtue of being born American citizens, everything I don't do for holidays is really only building their character. At least that's what I tell myself as I eat all their Easter candy and send creepy Easter bunny pictures to my sister. Hope you all have a great Easter and only celebrate as much as you want.
Winston, dressed up like a seersucker Easter egg.
4 comments:
I like this. We hid some 89 cent eggs (because watching Clara look for them was really hilarious) and Clara wore the big poofy dress her great Grandma bought her. (Otherwise it probably would have been her usual target t-shirt dress because I don't think children should own clothing requiring dry cleaning.) No decorations.
It makes holidays so much nicer when you keep them simple. And yeah, if simple to you means fancy stuff and you are happy, rock on. But I just like being with Dan and Clara doing whatever we do.
I think working made me appreciate simple holidays better. I didn't really have a choice, I don't have the time or resources to go all out on holidays. I'm happy because I learned to just value time and not things. Obviously people who don't work outside the home figure that out too, that's just what did it for me.
Awesome post. I am really glad to hear we weren't the only ones who didn't make a big deal out of Easter this year. We played Easter hymns on the computer and we have been talking about the meaning of Easter all week with Charlie and it means a lot to me that he seems to understand it. We didn't baskets or egg hunts or decorations. I just didn't have it in me this year. And even when I do have it in me in the future I hope I will still keep it pretty simple. It is nice to really focus on the meaning of the holiday instead of stressing out about how to do it "right."
I know you posted this a little while ago, but I loved it and had to make time to come and tell you. We have never been ones to make a big deal of Easter and the whole bunny stuff. I would love to say that we are wonderful at doing Christ centered activities, but we fail at that as well. I do want my children to grow up knowing that Christ is the reason.
Of course we don't do Santa either, but that is for another day and story.
Love you!
YES.
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