T'was The Week Before Christmas

There was a Christmas rage a few years ago where "parenting experts" recognized that children were becoming too caught up in the materialism of the season. The recommendation that was announced on a popular daytime talk show was for parents to adopt a new sort of shopping list. It should look like this:
#1. Something the child wants-just one item.
#2. Something the child needs-just one item.
#3. Something to wear-you get the idea.
#4. Something to read.
It became a nationwide brilliant concept for at least one holiday season.
I was a little confused about the talk this idea generated, especially amongst the women I know. It relieved parents of undue pressure to over spend. It took the pressure off to buy your children's approval. It put an importance on removing materialism from the tradition of Christmas.
Perhaps because I have never considered myself my kids friend, I didn't get caught up in the movement. Perhaps because I have always avoided materialism where my kids are concerned. Perhaps because I'm chaep and work on a budget year round.
Regardless, the short list was something I worked off of before it was officially a list.
The older my kids grow, the harder it is to keep the budget from getting crazy but the most important things surrounding Christmas have never been gifts. I must admit though, when it comes to the last item-something to read. I loose all semblance of control.
My sons are huge readers. We have been reading, out loud and in private since the boys were babies. I buy my husband "Daddy" books for Father's Day, even though he doesn't read a lot. I want to order everything off the school book order. I have to stay off of amazon.com or I'll blow the grocery budget on books.
So as I went looking for books for my kids for christmas, I had a difficult time narrowing it down to one book. One of my boys got an entire series, one a 525 page novel, and one the first three in a 5 book set, the fifth has not been released.
While cringing over the final bill, I realized I hadn't gotten myself an audio book. I went shopping again.
My tastes for reading are ecclectic though. I like medical drama, historical fiction and non-fiction, romance, mystery, thriller, fantasy, and some Sci-fi. I didn't have enough budget left to satisfy my reading desires.
A friend of mine sent me a link to her Christmas Anthology and I hit pay dirt. 12 short stories based off of classic christmas carols but told from a multitude of genre's and author's points of view.
I can't buy every bookI want to or cover all the talented author's out there so instead I'm leaving a list of Christmas Anthologies for this holiday season. Give yourself a gift this year and go check it out.
www.amazon.com/Sing-We-Now-Christmas-Anthology/dp/1479266248
All I'm Asking For: A Contemporary Christmas Anthology Amazon.com
Love Under the Christmas Tree (Christmas Anthology ...
www.amazon.com ›
www.likesbooks.com
christmas.html
Christmas - A Treasured Anthology - LifeWay Christian Resources
www.lifeway.com/ 2013 -
Next week is Christmas and I will post the next chapter in Why Love A man Who Loves An Ugly Car-Enjoy and Happy Holidays-Merry Christmas