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A few weeks ago I saw something on children's television about a consumer-free Christmas.
In view of the many children who are not doing so well, this is of course an exemplary idea.
Just donate something to others and take it easy at home.
Still, my first thought: Oh, how terrible, children can't cope with that - and anyway, as the giver, I feel at least as much joy as the person who opens my gift.
So, more for fun, I ask my son, nine years old, what he thinks of celebrating consumption-free this year, at least with regard to what's under the tree.
Only homemade gifts?
No trace of protest, the answer came a little hesitantly, but contrary to expectations, it affirmed my suggestion.
Namely, that this year we could just give ourselves homemade gifts.
Even days later, no regrets for agreeing to this proposal, neither with him nor with me.
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On the contrary: I liked the idea better and better.
It has bothered me for a long time that many of the children are so fed up with everything.
You can't lure anyone out from behind the stove with a puzzle, chocolate or something else.
Actually sad.
And difficult too, because you often see children's rooms overflowing with toys - and in them children who still don't know what to play.
Feels like having bought the entire Lego catalog
But this other way of celebrating Christmas shouldn't be a punishment either - for the fact that the child is too ungrateful or that it is your own fault for having forgiven your child a little too much.
No, we now want to do something in the family that gives real joy to others.
Like me a few years ago a bowl made of welded washers (the ones from the toolbox).
And of course the thousands upon thousands of pictures my son painted himself.
I soon found the right gift ideas for making things myself: Daniel Düsentrieb's little helper is to be made from an old lamp, and my dad will do that - I've made a film cut from all of the video snippets from the past nine years.
Two mammoth projects, as it soon turned out.
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I am still convinced that these things will be at least as much fun as the umpteenth box from Playmobil or Lego - and certainly much longer.
That might sound like a weird eco-friendly idea, but it isn't, and it wouldn't suit us either.
I see it as an experiment, also with a view to escaping the Christmas madness this year.
There is no need to order
gifts
just
to have something to wrap up, no compromises when it comes to gifts that are way too expensive, which are "but also for Easter".
In the hope that we, adults too, will appreciate the little things more again.
A return to the essentials: Christmas
It's called mindfulness these days.
This lifestyle is very popular right now - and it is probably also decisive for some other families to celebrate without gifts either.
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher recently said in a conversation with the news show "Entertainment Tonight" that they would rather celebrate Christmas this year with a charity donation instead of presents.
They wouldn't want to raise their kids to be "assholes" who didn't appreciate money.
A laudable thought, but
not really feasible
with just
one
Christmas party.
Of course, my “poor” son doesn’t have to do without anything bought, because there are still grandparents and they don’t let them be banned from giving gifts.
Not even if the grandson doesn't even have an idea for the wish list.
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Funny actually, you should think that if your parents don't want to buy anything, then there should be all kinds of wishes open.
But no!
A sign that the kids really have too much?
Or just the consequence of the idea of celebrating Christmas without consumption?
I don't know, I just know that, like every year, we look forward to Christmas Eve.
Nevertheless!
Or a lot more.
If my film is finished by then.
In the “Kindskopf” column, two mothers (the children are six months and nine years old) write about everything that concerns them every two weeks. From the best midwifery advice to nasty mom comments.
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