Pagan Traditions And Other Such Non-Sense......

Well we have many of those don't we?  Things we try turn into Christian holidays that then because of "political correctness" we again turn back into nothingness.....(no joke on a Blue Clues VHS we own from when Iman was a baby they refer to Valentine's Day as Love Day, yep it's true!) well except an excuse for someone to make money.  It always amazes me how much sooner each year the next holiday's decorations and merchandise comes out.  There really isn't a break any more.  We just go from one money maker to the next and buy into it all.  Thinking and feeling that our children or loved ones deserve it all. But they deserve much more, or time an attention really.  In my opinion if you want to make the holiday meaningful then make a resolve to show them everyday how much you love them.  

When i was at Wal-mart on Saturday, trying not to get sucked in myself, i noticed that Wal-mart actually had some Easter things out too.  So i guess now we don't even have to wait for one holiday to be over!  ;-)

As i stood in the store and pondered what i could do to surprise my kids (i hadn't actually planned on doing anything as usually Valentine's Day has been reserved for just John and I in my mind, but Eden specifically asked and i told her no, so i decided to surprise them anyway) I couldn't help but be bothered at how cheap all the products were, like awful chocolate that no one really enjoys eating, and ugly stuffed animals and over priced flowers that don't smell, because after all it is winter.  I didn't want to spend ANY of my hard earned money of anything like that.  I was even almost tempted as there was actually a cute little box of chocolate covered animal crackers that had been decorated as a monkey and Sarah LOVES monkeys.  Then i looked on the back of the package at the nutritional information (sorry force of habit) and notice that there were only 7 cookies in it.  It was three dollars....not a huge sum of money i know, but when you have 4 kids it adds up and I'm afriad that 12 dollars for something that is essentially junk and will in a week or so be forgotton, just doesn't seem justified anymore.

It was then i that i was inspired in the middle of the isle to make my own treat for them.  Duh!  Why didn't i just think of it before?  I decided to make giant sugar cookies and frost them myself with the kids' names on them.  i knew that anything bigger than normal would be thrilling to them and i am happy to report that it was.

So did i get sucked in?  Perhaps a little, but i do make cookies for them all the time anyway and "a little magic in our lives is always a good thing!" (a little tribute to the show i am in with my husband and kids this week  ;-))

I don't really know how or when Valentine's Day started.  I am pretty sure that what we do and celebrate today is not quite what was originally intended.  But this i do know....i love my whole family and my dear sweet friends each and everyday, no matter what the occasion or lack thereof either.  :-)