As I write this, we’re still two weeks from Thanksgiving here in the United States, but I’ve already seen Christmas lights going up around town. Seems early to me, but maybe it springs from a collective yearning for the joy and nostalgia of the holidays, and the warm comfort it brings.
 
I suspect it’s a desperate attempt to encourage 2020 to leave already.

Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: our holidays will look different this year. Thanks to the pandemic, some of the ways we’re used to doing things just aren’t possible this year. For many, that is a source of great sadness.

But it might be worth asking, what does it make possible? Is there a bright side to any of this?

Well, for one thing, we are forced to be intentional, which is a practice we’re not used to in our busy society. With so much going on, it’s much easier to go with the flow and do things the way we’ve always done them. But going with the flow isn’t always ideal, especially when that thing we’ve always done went moldy a decade ago. 

This year, we’ve been given an incredible opportunity (or excuse, depending on how you look at it) to tinker. Opportunities like this don’t come along very often. The pressure is off! You have the chance to try something new without taking any heat if it doesn’t work.

Just blame it on COVID.

Some who are reading this are the intentional type. You’ve had the itch to mix things up for years, but never had the buy-in from the ones with their heels dug in, resistant to change. This year is bringing change, like it or not, and no one has any say in the matter. So use it as the reason for trying something new — you know, “because COVID” — and give it a whirl. You can always soften it by ensuring everyone that you’ll go back to the old way next year. And maybe you will. But the little secret you know is that change can be good, and sometimes we just need a little nudge to embrace it. 

Some who are reading this are the traditionalists. You’re certain that the way you’ve always done it is the best way. You might be right. But as the old saying goes, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Maybe a break from tradition will finally make it clear to the others just how good and valuable it is.

Whatever your natural inclination, you do have the option of going all Grinch or unleashing your inner Ebenezer Scrooge, determined to “Bah Humbug” any glimmer of something good coming from this. But grousing over how unfair it is that the apple cart got overturned this year will only serve to guarantee your holidays will be miserable.

Not everything has to be great for us to see the good in a situation.

This is the first holiday season for some. It will be the last for others. All the more reason to embrace what‘s possible and savor the good. Use this opportunity to try something new, to make the best of a difficult situation. 

Don’t miss the joy by dwelling on what you lost.

Please know that I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t be sad, frustrated, or disappointed by this challenging turn of events. Make no mistake, COVID blows.

I’m merely suggesting you open your eyes to the possibility that you might stumble across a new tradition that spans generations. Or perhaps you’ll breathe new appreciation into an old one that went stale. 

Or maybe you’ll simply try a one-time thing. A one-time thing that delivers a happy memory that will remind you decades from now of that terrible year that actually brought forth some pretty good moments.

No doubt about it, this holiday season brings more than its share of challenges. But it also comes bearing a special gift.

Will you accept it?

One of the best parts of Christmas is opening up an unexpectedly awesome gift from a thoughtful giver.

Even better is watching someone else open up the perfect gift you found for them.

Unfortunately, the gift-giving part of the holidays often contributes a big part of the stress most people feel during the season. It’s not easy trying to find something nice for everyone on the list while fighting the bustling, crazy crowds and keeping the budget from ballooning like Santa on a post-Christmas cookie eating binge.

A lot of families and work colleague save money by doing gift exchanges in which every person buys a gift for just one person, rather than everyone in the whole family. Names are drawn, a budget is set, and gifts are purchased.

It’s budget-friendly, but can become a bit stale. Not anymore!

Without further ado, here are some creative ideas for adding a fun twist to the standard gift exchange…

Alphabet Gift Exchange.
Draw names as usual, then have everyone select a letter of the alphabet and get a gift for their person that starts with that letter. Another twist is to buy the gift from a store that starts with that letter.

Around the World.
Get everyone to pick a different country (preferably not the one in which you live) and buy a gift that fits the country. Participants can choose their own country or draw one at random.

The Gift That Keeps Giving.
What about having everyone purchase a magazine subscription based on the interests of the recipient? Grandpa gets Field & Stream, Grandma gets Quilt Magazine, Aunt Jenny gets Epicurious, and your nephew Nicholas gets Sports Illustrated for Kids.

Choose Your Own Theme.
In a similar vein, your family or officemates can decide on your own theme for the year. Then everyone’s gift needs to fit the theme. For instance, if you choose “red,” all the gifts need to be predominantly red (or feature the comedian Red Skelton, perhaps.) How about these ideas to get you started: Something made in the USA. As Seen on TV. Books. Soft. Shiny. Food. Wood. Old. Childlike. (see what I did there? ;)

This Could Get Ugly.
You may have heard me talk about ugly cookies, but how about drawing names and have everyone buy something “ugly” based on a theme. Ugly sweaters. Ugly salt and upper shakers. Ugly ornaments…

Left or Right.
Designate someone to write a fun story that contains many instances of the words “left” and “right” (but not an equal number of times). Then have everyone buy a gift and have someone wrap each one in the same paper with no names on them. Every one grabs a gift, and as the story is read aloud, the packages are exchanged accordingly each time “left” or “right” is said. At the end of the story, the gift you end up with is yours.

Go Handmade.
Make a rule that everything has to be handmade. Of course, you could make it (or bake it) yourself, or you can choose to purchase something from a local artisan. Etsy.com is also a great place to find neat handmade treasures from talented folks.

Thrifty Fashions.
One family told us that they exchanged names and bought an outift (with accessories!) from Goodwill or a thrift store that the recipient would have to wear to their New Year’s Eve party. This prompted a fashion show, and a group picture.

The Weight Is Killing Me.
What about having everyone buy a pound of…something?

This Makes Sense.
Have everyone draw a paper that has one of the five senses written on it: hearing, smell, sight, touch, or taste. Then you have to buy a gift related to that sense.

Scavenger Hunt.
Another family often does a scavenger hunt gift exchange. Everyone gets someone else’s stocking, and they all go to the shopping mall, tasked with filling the stocking in one hour. No gift cards or jewelry allowed. Of course, no one wants to be seen, so people end up ducking behind other shoppers, running from store to store, sneaking down aisles, etc. The assigned stockings are hidden until Christmas, when they are opened one by one. The laughs shared over the antics and hijinks are usually just as much fun as the gifts themselves.

The Spirit of Christmas.
Everyone brings in a “spirit” that is $20 or less.

Lights, Camera, Action.
Everybody buys a movie for under $20. You can make a rule as to what rating limit is. (I’m guessing you don’t want Grandma Betty unwrapping an NC-17 flick, but you do you.) You can add other rules, such as no Black & White, no Cartoons, no TV shows, etc. The movies get wrapped or gift bagged and one by one, each person draws one movie from the pile.

Good or Gag.
For exchanges in which the gifts aren’t tied to a specific recipient, mix in some gag gifts with real good ones. Each person then picks their present based on packaging alone. Of course, you can modify and adapt any of the standard rules in the popular White Elephant/Yankee Swap tradition.

So there you go; a few ideas for sprucing up your office or family’s next Christmas gift exchange. Do you have any to add? Share yours in the comments!

Well, we’re here. Even though Christmas music has been playing in stores since Halloween, the passing of Thanksgiving officially puts us into the holiday season, ready or not. (How is it that companies can promote week-long Black “Friday” deals with a straight face?)

I have a secret to share with you. Every bit of advice I give, or moral behind a story I tell, is mostly for me. They help keep me accountable and on track in my own fight against Adultitis. And as a professional reminder-er, I’d like to take this time to share some reminders, for all of us. I, for one, am in need of this particular reminder every year around this time.

You may or may not be surprised to know that this is one of Adultitis’ favorite times of year (right up there with April 15th, aka Tax Day). Of course, the reason has nothing to do with holly jolly elves or goodwill toward men. No, it thrives on the frenzy we find ourselves in. It uses the busyness and obligations to stress us out, wear us down, and most importantly, distract us from the things that really matter.

Yes, for many of us, there are trees to trim, decorations to put up, gifts to purchase, cards to send, office parties to attend, cookies to bake, crowds to navigate, presents to wrap, miles to be traversed, groceries to buy, meals to prepare, snow to shovel, rooms to clean, in-laws to suffer, and to-do lists to be tackled.

It’s prime feeding ground for Adultitis. It may seem impossible to avoid it.

But not if you remember that there are also memories to be made, cookies to be eaten, jokes to tell, ho ho ho’s to be hollered, bells to jingle, carols to be crooned, laughs to be shared, cardboard boxes to be transformed into castles, and (depending on where you live) snowflakes to catch on your tongue.

Spending at least as much time on the second list as you do on the first is the equivalent to rewarding Adultitis with a stocking filled with coal.

Ho, ho, ho.

I met a fifty-something-year-old guy after my presentation at a conference in Minnesota earlier this year. He told me, “My mom believed that her kids should always get a toy from her for Christmas, no matter how…”

I expected him to finish the sentence with, “…no matter how poor we were.”

But he surprised me instead with, “…no matter how old we are.”

To this day, along with other gifts, she still gets each of her adult children a toy for Christmas.

I wish she would have been there, for I would have liked to give her a hug. It takes a wise woman to know that no matter how old a person gets, they carry all the ages they’ve ever been with them. The wide-eyed, fun-loving child inside lives forever.

Although that childlike spirit can be neglected throughout the year, Christmas is the perfect time to reconnect with the hope, wonder, and joy we were filled with as children.

I asked the gentleman what his mother got him last year.

“A Lego set,” he replied.

Perfect.

All my growing up years, our family – the whole family gathered on Christmas Eve for Swedish food, amazing story telling, and glorious present opening. We wound down the festivities in time for those so inclined to attend the religious service of choice (Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopalian) or not. Christmas Day was reserved for individual celebrations with immediate family members. No one challenged nor thought of challenging this pattern. Since our family primarily remained physically located in the Midwest, distance wasn’t a factor in keeping our long held pattern inviolate.

Divorce, re-marriage, and the inclusion of new families living at greater distances into our tribe did. The year arrived when my two children announced their holiday plans and I quickly realized that they were encompassing the traditions and plans of their new, added long-distance families and my husband and I were going to be ALONE FOR THE ENTIRE HOLIDAY SEASON! Nice to their faces, I quietly went into one of the most significant sad-pouts-righteous-indignation 3 days of my life. Frank, my husband noticed at about day two and a half. “What’s wrong, honey?”

That’s all it took. My vitriol poured forth. “They’re going to be gone! All of them! We’re not going to have one child or grandchild for the entire holiday vacation! And they planned it all without asking me for my plans or WISHES AT ALL! Amazing isn’t it. We’re the ones they call when they need a babysitter, childcare for a sick child, or transportation for kids, dogs, or forgotten items! We attend school concerts, hockey games, and mind-numbing movies. We read books, play games, and host picnics. We share vacations, meals, and our backyard. And now, at the time of the year that family means the most, they leave us high and dry.”

(To be honest, Frank looked a little perplexed in the face of this tirade. His quiet “You love doing all of those things for and with them. I didn’t think Christmas meant that much to you” didn’t help. “You just don’t understand,” I replied. “The Epstein family doesn’t have a long-standing Christmas Holiday tradition. As I’ve heard you talk, Christmas Day meant a movie and Chinese takeout. My family’s traditions are much more complex and significant.”)

Envision one of those pauses couples employ after years of a relationship in order to de-escalate and continue the dialogue. “Chris, this isn’t like you,” Frank said. “You don’t let stuff like this get you down. You figure out how to change the situation.”

“But it’s Christmas,” I said allowing myself one more whine. “You’re right of course. Here’s a plan. When are all the kids going to back in town?”

“Right after the first of the year.”

“What happens in January?”

A quick Google search uncovered a little known holiday, Penguin Awareness Day. After checking everyone’s schedule we dubbed the 3rd Sunday in January as Penguin Appreciation Day. Invitations went out to the entire extended family within 50 miles of our house, including several just-like-family friends, to the First Annual Penguin Appreciation Day Celebration. Participants were promised food, fun, and presents and invited to arrive in penguin attire.

While the rest of the world got caught up in the all too familiar holiday frenzy, we calmly looked for Penguin related decorations, giftwrap, and attire; marking their locations so we could make our purchases after the holidays when they’d be on sale. We planned our buffet menu – items a group of penguins might enjoy. (In case you wondering: shrimp, herring, and meatballs are on the list. They ARE primarily Swedish penguins, after all.) We also gathered intelligence on what everyone was getting as gifts to discover which wishes were going unfilled. Santa might have a list, but something always falls off. Leave it to a penguin to make the save!

The day arrived and it was filled with joy, laughter, and too much food. Attire was admired and giggled at. Friends were integrated into our family with ease. Penguin related movies played in ancillary rooms so children could decompress as they awaited the main event – presents! When present opening came, the children (and to be honest, the adults) opened presents more calmly than during our old tradition holiday gatherings. By the end, the house looked the same – tossed aside wrapping paper, lots of dirty dishes, and shared ideas for next year. The afternoon ended with a new tradition intact.

For three years we have celebrated Penguin Appreciation Day and shared our story with others. It gets better and better. Penguin attire gets more elaborate. Decorations increase in number and creativity. The menu is refined. This year, my sister-in-law, Lynda made and gave us the Penguin Family you see in the picture posted along with this story. When Frank and I packed up all our Penguin Paraphernalia to store till next year, I couldn’t bear to include the family in the box headed for the garage shelf. They’re currently sitting on the couch reminding me everyday of the Rules That Don’t Exist.

Chris Clarke-Epstein is a speaker, facilitator, and writer who puzzles with people and situations that require change. She can be reached at Chris@Change101.com and read at MoreChange.Change101.com.

Hello, Rutville.

Here are four fun but simple tips to make sure Adultitis gets nothing but coal in its stocking this year.

Minivan Express
It’s kind of like Pajama Run meets The Polar Express, and you don’t even need a minivan to play. First, print up some golden tickets (templates here) and hide them under your kids’ pillows. While the normal bedtime routine is underway, prep some popcorn and hot chocolate in coffee mugs (with lids). When the kids discover the golden tickets under their pillows, it’s time to grab some slippers and head for the family vehicle to get their ticket punched. Then, with a soundtrack of Christmas music playing in the background, go for a ride around town looking at neighborhood light displays. You could also plan on stopping by the mall to get pictures taken with Santa or go ice skating if you have a rink nearby.

Ugly Wrap
You’ve heard of Ugly Cookies, right? If you’ve got any kind of a gift exchange planned with the family or at work, stipulate that the gifts be “Ugly Wrapped.” The organization that inspired this idea reported gifts that showed up wrapped with a collection of scrap paper, bubble wrap, and my favorite, a coffee container with small deer antlers on the top as a bow with dryer sheets tied to it. Believe it.

Name That Tree
One of our friends gets a real Christmas tree every year and they always name it. One year it was “Bruce the Spruce,” another year “Ralph” took up residence in their family room. One time they named their tree “Leviathan.” They have fun recalling all of the different trees that have come and gone over the years. I’m not sure why, but naming things that normally don’t have names is a super fun way to escape adulthood.

Christmas Vandalism
A reader once told us about a tradition in her small town to sneak out in the middle of the night and decorate a random bush, shrub, or tree by the side of the road. Part of the fun is to pick a really busy street and not get “caught” by passing cars. She reported that by Christmas, it’s not uncommon to see dozens — if not hundreds! — of decorated trees by the highways. Our world needs more joy, more whimsy, more silliness. This activity begs an important question: If an act of vandalism is done in a spirit of cheerfulness and actually adds or enhances beauty, is it still called vandalism?

What is your favorite way to have fun at Christmastime?

What do you get for the person that has everything?

What’s an equally great gift for the person who has next to nothing?

Easy. How about the gift of time?

One Christmas, an acquaintance of ours gave her children a piece of paper emblazoned with the words, “The Gift of Time.” Each kid got to pick an activity to do with just Mom and Dad. For example, one of the girls elected to go to a theatrical production of RENT.

I guarantee those memories made will last longer than some gadget that could have been gifted instead, destined to be sold at a garage sale sometime down the line. Every time I clean the house, I’m reminded that it would be a whole lot easier if we just had less stuff.

We always encourage friends and family to contribute toward experiences for our kids. A number of them pitched in towards private swimming lessons for Lucy when she was younger. She loved it! She looked forward to her swim time every week, and I couldn’t believe how much her confidence grew in the time since she first began. I don’t know of many toys that fit that bill.

A few years ago, we helped Lucy cross something off her Bucket List: horseback riding. An hour-long stroll through the woods on the back of her favorite animal (besides a cheetah!) really made an impression. Check out her letter to Santa to see what was on the top of her Christmas list that year.

Nowadays she earns money feeding and caring for horses, and leases one of her own!

We live in a society that is stuff rich and time-poor. Time is the most valuable thing we have. It’s more in demand than Cabbage Patch Kids or Tickle Me Elmo dolls ever were.

Experiences last long after a toy gets broken or outgrown. And the gift of time — the kind that is generous, unrestricted, and free of distraction — is as fitting a present for kids as it is for spouses, parents, neighbors, employees, and the neighbor lady across the street.

Babysit for some busy parents so they can enjoy a dinner and a movie NOT rated ‘G.”

Take a friend on a surprise adventure that includes a delicious lunch and a spa visit.

Join the widow across the street when she walks her dogs and offer company and conversation.

At the end of our lives, we will not spend time taking inventory of all the stuff we collected. No, we will be reflecting on the scenes we created, the experiences that took our breath away, and the memories we made spending time with the people we love.

There’s nothing wrong with giving a meaningful, thoughtful gift that the recipient can hold and treasure. But if you’re stuck trying to find the perfect something for a certain somebody, a little time is all you need.

An organization I spoke to last year traditionally celebrates the holidays with a luncheon and gift exchange. Pretty typical stuff.

The only problem is that Adultitis LOVES typical. Typical is only a hop, skip and a jump away from a rut, and as Ellen Glasgow says, “The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.”

Fortunately, after hearing one of my programs on Curing Adultitis, Janet Mincks and her team decided to go in a different direction with their holiday party.

It has been 4 months since you spoke to us at our All Staff Professional Development Day. What an impact you have made…We decided to throw away the traditional luncheon routine and make it not only interesting but fun. We exchanged names, however the gift was a small $10.00 gift, but needed to be “Ugly Wrapped”. The presentation of the gifts ranged from a collection of scrap wrapping paper, bubble wrap, and my favorite, a coffee container with small deer antlers on the top as a bow with dryer sheets tied to it. Our lunch included soup and salad, but everyone was only given tiny small delicatessen spoons, and skewers for their salads. The group couldn’t believe that we carried this “Adultitis” (theme) that far.

Nicely done, Janet! (I must say that I too have quite an admiration of that antler-adorned coffee container!) Thanks for showing us that there is no rule that says your holiday party has to look the same every year.

Unless you want it to be a guest of honor, that is.

A Champion of Childhood is someone instilled with the soaring spirit of childhood who rallies against rules that don’t exist while engaging in ruthless, senseless acts of silliness that undermine the slavery of Adultitis and its unadventurous version of adulthood. We like shining a light upon the most remarkable among us, holding them up as a dazzling example of what we should strive for in this epic battle against Adultitis. See more here.

Here’s Don’s commentary:

It just goes to show you how great life can be if you’re willing to slow down for people. Of course, none of us are Bill Murray, but slowing down for your spouse, your kids or your friends for just a minute to really give them something that will blow their minds is a magical concoction that makes life great.

I couldn’t agree more. In a season typically filled with busyness, stress, and last-minute everything, it’s a particularly great lesson to let soak in.

If you want some REAL holiday magic this season, try slowing down.

We put our Christmas tree up last weekend. The kids helped out, and by “helped out” I mean dropped hooks on the ground and placed multiple ornaments on a single branch about two feet from the ground.

Trimming the tree is one of my favorite traditions in a holiday season filled with them. Most of the ornaments we own have a story behind them, whether it’s a souvenir from our travels, or a gift from a grandma, or a memento from our early years of dating. It’s fun strolling down memory lane as each ornament goes up on the tree.

Here are a few of our other holiday traditions:

• I make up a batch of fresh guacamole to eat while we decorate the tree. Not sure how this started, but green avocado and red tomatoes fit the Christmas theme.
• The kids each get to buy one ornament every year. This year, Ben picked Superman and Lucy chose My Little Pony. I use a Sharpie to write their name and the year on the ornament.
• We usually go on at least one Christmas music-enhanced Pajama Run to look at the twinkling holiday lights.
• We have a real pine advent wreath displayed prominently on our kitchen table to serve as a constant reminder of the reason for the season and all that we have to be grateful for.

Family traditions are important. They provide a source of identity and security, strengthen the family bond, connect generations, and create lasting memories. They also lift us out of the mundane ruts of everyday life, which is where Adultitis likes to fester.

If you’re looking to go on the offensive against Adultitis this year, look for an opportunity to resurrect an old family tradition, tweak one that’s gotten stale (ugly cookies, anyone?), or create a brand new one!

What is YOUR favorite holiday tradition? Let’s see how many awesome ideas we can collect!

Judging by the pictures she sent, it seems like it went over pretty well. (Bonus points for the twisty straw!)

Sometimes the biggest hurdle to initiating a Small Rebellion is our own fear. That feeling of dread or uncertainty is Adultitis’ last stand against against you. 90% of the time, our attempts at a Small Rebellion will be well received and much appreciated. So maybe it falls flat the other 10% of the time.

The cool thing? In either scenario, Adultitis loses.

When the kids discover the golden tickets under their pillows, it’s time to grab some slippers and head for the family vehicle (doesn’t have to be a minivan :) to get their ticket punched. Then, with a soundtrack of Christmas music playing in the background, go for a ride around town looking at neighborhood light displays. You could also plan on stopping by the mall to get pictures taken with Santa or go ice skating if you have a rink nearby.

Family traditions are important and an easy way to create priceless memories that your entire clan will cherish forever. The Minivan Express might be a good one to start this year.

Credits: Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler for the idea and Miracle Mama for the photo

Most of the time vandalism is mean and perpetrated by jerk heads.

But what if an act of vandalism is done is a spirit of cheerfulness and actually adds or enhances beauty? Is it still called vandalism?

Cara shared this community tradition on our Facebook page:

There is a tradition in our town to sneak out in the middle of the night and decorate a random bush/shrub/tree by the side of the road. Part of the fun is to pick a really busy street and to not get ‘caught’ by passing cars. By Christmas Day, you will see dozens if not hundreds of decorated trees by the highways. (My daughter and I hit one up just last night!)

I’m not sure who is responsible for the cleanup, but this seems pretty harmless and crazy fun. I suspect that anyone against the actions of these townsfolk — and you know there are some — might be suffering from a bit of Adultitis.

Our world needs more joy, more whimsy, more silliness. That’s why I support Christmas vandalism.

So I decided to turn them into eCards for Kim & Jason Insiders. (Yet another perk of free membership.) Recipients don’t need to be an Insider to receive them, so you don’t have to worry about hassling them to sign up. Just a fun way to spread a little Christmas cheer without having to buy stamps :)

Here are the four designs:

• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Gingerbread Man)
• O Christmas Tree (Christmas Tree)
• Santa Claus is Coming To Town (Stocking)
• A Holly Jolly Christmas (Wreath)

[ecard]

What sorts of things do you do every Christmas, the exact same way, because you’ve ALWAYS done them that way?

What if you changed things up this year?

I’m not talking about the sacred, untouchable family traditions (although maybe I am). But what about the things you do automatically, without much thought and without any real meaning? What if, instead of trying to make your Christmas cookies look like Martha Stewart’s, you went 180º in the other direction and made them ugly instead. You know, on purpose.

The photos of the treats above are from my friend Soyphet, whose office held an Ugly Cookie decorating event this year. Ugly indeed. Funny thing is, I still want to eat them. And they make me smile.

Sure feels like a more fun and meaningful tradition than the boring old Christmas cookie swap.

I’d love to know what I was pining for those other years.

This ornament idea is a pretty cool way to record the visions that kept your kids on their best behavior through the Decembers of Christmas Past. You can buy one here, but I’m pretty sure you crafty types could figure out a way to make your own!

It’s a busy time of year. Most of us are knee-deep in the holiday frenzy.

There are trees to trim, decorations to put up, gifts to purchase, cards to send, office parties to attend, cookies to bake, crowds to navigate, presents to wrap, miles to be traversed, groceries to buy, meals to prepare, snow to shovel, rooms to clean, in-laws to suffer, and to-do lists to be tackled.

Prime feeding ground for Adultitis, especially if you take it all too seriously.

Please don’t forget there are also memories to be made, cookies to be eaten, jokes to tell, ho ho ho’s to be hollered, bells to jingle, carols to be crooned, laughs to be shared, cardboard boxes to be transformed into castles, and (depending on where you live) snowflakes to catch on your tongue.

This holiday season, please don’t forget the silliness.

When you shine brightly and share joy with the world, not everyone will be appreciative.

These Adultitis-ridden doo-doo heads will laugh at you, mock you, and try to run you down. Mostly they are just threatened by your example and attack you in order to feel better about their own cowardice or laziness.

Shine on anyway.

[ Watercolor on paper, 9 x 12 inches. ]

A while back, I ran across this dad who draws on paper bags for his kids during his lunch break. Pretty neat stuff.

But he’s also used his creativity (and a box cutter) to elevate the humble cardboard box into an even more awesome structure of play.

Even neater.

Which leads me to think about Christmas morning, and how after all of the presents are opened, and the living room looks like the Death Star’s trash compactor, the thing you’re most likely to see your kid playing with is a cardboard box.

Indeed, it seems as though one of the best Christmas presents of all time is the box that originally housed what was intended to be the best Christmas present of all time.

But why? Why are kids so smitten with it that in 2006, it was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame?

Because it leaves a little to the imagination.

It seems like more and more of the toys aimed at little kids is cheap plastic crap made in Asia somewhere. Multi-colored. Battery-operated. With blinking lights and annoying sounds that make you want to remove your ears with a chainsaw. Unitaskers all, these toys pretty much dictate how they are to be played with. Push a few buttons, yank some levers, and the fun is done.

And my little Lucy, who just turned two, is very interested in that stuff.

For about three minutes.

The stuff that really captivates her are the the things that leave a little to the imagination.

Like blocks. Rubber balls. And cardboard boxes.

Easier to come by than a Tickle-Me-Elmo or a Cabbage Patch Kid back in the day, the best part about a box is that it costs about… a box.

Keep this stuff in mind as you plan for what has the chance to be the best Christmas ever.

My point is not to suggest that Santa just wraps up a bunch of empty boxes for our kids, but that we remember that the best toys are the ones that lead our kids to the open door of possibility and let their imaginations take it from there.

And that’s neat-o-riffic.

[ This article originally appeared at Dad-O-Matic, the awesomest blog for Dads on the interwebs. ]

The business took off, and a few years into the venture, he had the opportunity to buy and renovate the actual house used in the movie. The A Christmas Story House has become a Cleveland, Ohio tourist destination for fans of all ages.

In our interview with Brian, he recounts the wild story of buying the house on eBay, discusses some of the neatest aspects of the house, reveals some little-known tidbits about the movie’s production, and shares his favorite scene and character from the movie.

If you’re a fan of the movie, or are looking for a nostalgic look back at Christmas Past, you will love this interview, which is interjected with classic soundbytes. We promise you won’t shoot your eye out!

Run Time: 15 minutes, 31 seconds

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