Christmas Shopping and Finding a Balance

This year the main thing Mia wants is a Furby toy. I was convinced that I'd be able to find her something else that she'd like just as much, but after looking and looking, I kept coming back to that dang Furby. Her eyes light up when she talks about it. At first she kept forgetting what it was called and would ask Brooklynn "What's the name of that little fuzzy toy that talks when you rub it's tummy?"

She's been reminded enough now that she doesn't forget anymore.

She really, really wants one. And even though I have a feeling that it will be one of those toys we regret buying, we decided to get her one because I can already see her face on Christmas morning. She's gonna be thrilled.

And that's the problem.

When I go Christmas shopping and find something that I know my kids will love, I can see their thrilled little faces in my mind. I want to get them everything. But each year I learn that more is definitely not better. There's a line between too much and too little. It's different for each kid and it's hard to know just where it is. The balance between underwhelming and overwhelming is hard to find. An unbalanced Christmas leaves me with regrets. "Next year I'll do it better. Next year I'll get it right."

But man... it's hard to get it right. We want the kids to be happy, but not spoiled. We want them to have enough, but not too much.

My aunt posted this on Facebook: "Happiness is a place between too much and too little."

Isn't that the truth?

There's a balance.

So we're looking for it again this year. Mainly me. I'm looking for it. Because every year I'm determined to have Ryan participate more in the process of Christmas but every year it just doesn't work out that way. The shopping. The choosing.  The buying. The wrapping. All of it. It's just too tough to try to coordinate our schedules. Shopping takes so much time and has to be done while the kids are at school. He's at work while the kids are at school, so really, it's easier for me to just get the Christmas stuff done while he's at work.

And that's fine with him. And it's fine with me. Except that I feel like it should be different. I don't know why. Because it works for us.

It's been important that in our marriage we figure out what works for us. Not what works for other people that should work for us.

Always learning.