IT STARTED WHEN HER TREE FELL OVER

I love this letter from Shirley in Montana, who has successfully traded in the traditional trappings of Christmas for a lasting and meaningful tradition.

My children had grown and gone from our home, carrying the traditions of Christmas into their own homes. I did the usual preparations one year, putting up the Christmas tree and lights. The next morning I came out of the bedroom to find my beautiful tree tipped over, lying on its side across the floor. The mess was not fun to clean up, but I did and got it all setup again. Three days later, I found it on the floor again. The tree went out the door and I have never put up a tree again. That marked the freedom I feel now with a change in my Christmas traditions.

Our mother had traveled to Israel and brought us back one of those beautiful handcarved olivewood nativily scene. It is truly a work of art and we love to look upon it. That became our central point and "Christmas Tree" from that year forward. I have a large crystal vase in which I place cut branches of greenery from the evergreen in our yard. I arrange a small string of lights on that greenery which hangs over and around the nativity scene and we place our gifts at the "feet of the baby Jesus", which reminds us that it is His birthday we are remembering.

The other change I made was I STOPPED shopping. Completely!! I spoke with my children and told them I did not want to spend my time shopping for something they did not want, did not fit, or was useless to them. I told them they could count on the X amount of money from me each year and if it was a good year they may perhaps see more than that, but please do not make me go shopping any more. Each child was pleased with that arrangement.

Now, instead of shopping, I bake fresh bread and go caroling to each of my neighbors, which is about 25 on the length of our 3 mile long Lane. I make up a new song each year with words that fit with the neighborhood and friends and put the words to [a] Christmas song that I love. I take time to visit with each neighbor about the events in their life throughout the year. I do so enjoy the neighborly feelings of love and support for each other. We feel kindness and care throughout the entire year with all the neighbors because we take time to visit with them each Christmas season. Opportunities to help have opened up to us for various reasons through the years that I have been doing this. I never really thought how much this action would effect me or my neighbors. It has only become apparent now, after all these years of consistently doing this.