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A Simple Christmas: Celebrating the Old-Fashioned Way in a Post-Modern World
Designed to help families rediscover the values and traditions of less hectic, less complicated times, a collection of short essays shows how to make Christmas more meaningful through such ideas as volunteering and making homemade gifts. 25,000 first printing.
90 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 26, 2018
A quick read with good ideas about how to keep the spirit of Christmas. However, some of the ideas seem to repeat themselves.
January 4, 2024
IDEAS FOR A SIMPLER, ‘KIND OF OLD-FASHIONED’ CHRISTMAS
Authors Lori Salkin and Rob Sperry wrote in the Introduction to this 1997 book, “[This book] is a collection of short essays that depict ways to celebrate the kind of old-fashioned Christmas that we all long for, but seem to forget about year after year. It offers suggestions for getting back to the basics of Christmas, so that the spirit behind the holiday can shine through. [The book] won’t tell you how to get through the holiday more efficiently, and it won’t tell you rediscover the values and traditions of less complicated times, which are still as relevant today as they were hundreds of years ago. Celebrating a simpler Christmas means feeling happier, more fulfilled, and discovering that, despite all the commercialization and bustle of today this holiday need never lose its meaning.” (Pg. 2-3)
They observe, “If you’re like most people, your closets are filled with clothes and linens that you never wear or use. It doesn’t matter what you give at Christmas, just as long as you don’t think of another person’s needs. Donate those old winter coats, big sweaters, or warm blankets to a homeless shelter or other charitable organization in your neighborhood. Wrap a handful of Christmas cookies in plastic wrap and tuck it into the pocket of the coat. Once its new owner claims it, she will get a sweet surprise. Let your children give away some of their own clothes so they can share in the spirit of the holiday.” (Pg. 5)
They suggest, ‘Most people we talked to wanted their Christmases to be more spiritual. Yet they don’t spend much time in church or doing anything that would help them feel spiritually connected. In the midst of shopping frenzy, a church will seem even calmer, quieter, and more peaceful than usual. Even a few minutes inside a local church will be restorative for your mind and your soul.” (Pg. 6)
They recommend, “Many people complain that much of the Christmas holiday is spent in front of a blaring television. This year take a drastic step and unplug yours. You’ll probably encounter some complaining at first, but eventually everyone will learn to get along without the ‘mind box.’ You can keep up with the news by reading the paper, and there isn’t anything else that is really worth watching when you could be spending those hours with friends or family. Christmas is a time of connection, but when the TV is on people are in their own little worlds. If you are usually in the kitchen while everyone else is watching a football game, that’s an even better reason to hide the remote control: Get the rest of the family to help make the holiday happen.” (Pg. 25)
They state, “The easiest way to feel inadequate during the Christmas season is to read articles about how other people decorate their houses or celebrate their holiday. Ignore those articles! The people in them either have too much time on their hands or they are getting paid to create these wonderful Christmases. Women’s magazines overflow with ideas for the most spectacular gingerbread house you’ve ever seen, decorating your home with evergreens, and the most beautiful cookies you can bake and hang on your tree. Forget it! Don’t even buy the magazines! Don’t watch Martha. You’ll only feel bad… The idea is more Christmas spirit, not more Christmas cookies. Don’t get caught up in someone else’s homemade Christmas. Have your Christmas your way.” (Pg. 31)
They propose, “If you have small children, they probably open their gifts in a frenzy on Christmas morning. All their anticipation for the holiday revolves around those few minutes, which go by all too quickly. Afterwards, everyone feels let down because the focal point of Christmas has already passed, leaving everyone feeling a bit underwhelmed. Try gift giving a slightly different way this year. Instead of opening all the gifts at once, spread out this ritual over several days. Open a gift on Christmas Eve, a few on Christmas morning, another on the evening of Christmas Day and one the day after Christmas. This way, the focus is not on a half hour of unwrapping presents, and the gifts are appreciated more when they’re given out a few at a time.” (Pg, 61)
They note, “Santa Claus embodies the very spirit of Christmas, and so he is real enough for all of us. We believe that children should experience their childhoods, and live their childhood dreams and fantasies, as long as they can---and this means keeping Santa Claus very much alive in their hearts. Make a point of setting out some milk and cookies for your ruddy visitor, in case he gets hungry during his travels. Your kids will delight in being able to offer something back to Santa, and you’ll have a little snack to nibble on late at night after you’ve finished putting all the gifts under the tree!” (Pg. 89)
This book will interest those seeking ideas for changing their celebration of the holiday.
Authors Lori Salkin and Rob Sperry wrote in the Introduction to this 1997 book, “[This book] is a collection of short essays that depict ways to celebrate the kind of old-fashioned Christmas that we all long for, but seem to forget about year after year. It offers suggestions for getting back to the basics of Christmas, so that the spirit behind the holiday can shine through. [The book] won’t tell you how to get through the holiday more efficiently, and it won’t tell you rediscover the values and traditions of less complicated times, which are still as relevant today as they were hundreds of years ago. Celebrating a simpler Christmas means feeling happier, more fulfilled, and discovering that, despite all the commercialization and bustle of today this holiday need never lose its meaning.” (Pg. 2-3)
They observe, “If you’re like most people, your closets are filled with clothes and linens that you never wear or use. It doesn’t matter what you give at Christmas, just as long as you don’t think of another person’s needs. Donate those old winter coats, big sweaters, or warm blankets to a homeless shelter or other charitable organization in your neighborhood. Wrap a handful of Christmas cookies in plastic wrap and tuck it into the pocket of the coat. Once its new owner claims it, she will get a sweet surprise. Let your children give away some of their own clothes so they can share in the spirit of the holiday.” (Pg. 5)
They suggest, ‘Most people we talked to wanted their Christmases to be more spiritual. Yet they don’t spend much time in church or doing anything that would help them feel spiritually connected. In the midst of shopping frenzy, a church will seem even calmer, quieter, and more peaceful than usual. Even a few minutes inside a local church will be restorative for your mind and your soul.” (Pg. 6)
They recommend, “Many people complain that much of the Christmas holiday is spent in front of a blaring television. This year take a drastic step and unplug yours. You’ll probably encounter some complaining at first, but eventually everyone will learn to get along without the ‘mind box.’ You can keep up with the news by reading the paper, and there isn’t anything else that is really worth watching when you could be spending those hours with friends or family. Christmas is a time of connection, but when the TV is on people are in their own little worlds. If you are usually in the kitchen while everyone else is watching a football game, that’s an even better reason to hide the remote control: Get the rest of the family to help make the holiday happen.” (Pg. 25)
They state, “The easiest way to feel inadequate during the Christmas season is to read articles about how other people decorate their houses or celebrate their holiday. Ignore those articles! The people in them either have too much time on their hands or they are getting paid to create these wonderful Christmases. Women’s magazines overflow with ideas for the most spectacular gingerbread house you’ve ever seen, decorating your home with evergreens, and the most beautiful cookies you can bake and hang on your tree. Forget it! Don’t even buy the magazines! Don’t watch Martha. You’ll only feel bad… The idea is more Christmas spirit, not more Christmas cookies. Don’t get caught up in someone else’s homemade Christmas. Have your Christmas your way.” (Pg. 31)
They propose, “If you have small children, they probably open their gifts in a frenzy on Christmas morning. All their anticipation for the holiday revolves around those few minutes, which go by all too quickly. Afterwards, everyone feels let down because the focal point of Christmas has already passed, leaving everyone feeling a bit underwhelmed. Try gift giving a slightly different way this year. Instead of opening all the gifts at once, spread out this ritual over several days. Open a gift on Christmas Eve, a few on Christmas morning, another on the evening of Christmas Day and one the day after Christmas. This way, the focus is not on a half hour of unwrapping presents, and the gifts are appreciated more when they’re given out a few at a time.” (Pg, 61)
They note, “Santa Claus embodies the very spirit of Christmas, and so he is real enough for all of us. We believe that children should experience their childhoods, and live their childhood dreams and fantasies, as long as they can---and this means keeping Santa Claus very much alive in their hearts. Make a point of setting out some milk and cookies for your ruddy visitor, in case he gets hungry during his travels. Your kids will delight in being able to offer something back to Santa, and you’ll have a little snack to nibble on late at night after you’ve finished putting all the gifts under the tree!” (Pg. 89)
This book will interest those seeking ideas for changing their celebration of the holiday.
January 7, 2018
Written in 1997, some of the ideas in this book have become outdated (such as making audio cassettes). There are some good ideas in this book; probably most useful for those establishing homes & deciding how they are going to spend the holidays.
Quick & easy read from our public library.
Quick & easy read from our public library.
December 8, 2012
Uninspiring.
March 22, 2015
This book was interesting enough. Most of the ideas felt like common sense, but a couple of them were new to me. I'd say it's worth a quick perusal.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews