Still Miles to Go

As I sit in my room at MGH for the 7th day now – with no end in sight – I had begun to forget that Christmas was just around the corner. I got about halfway through decorating our tree before I went inpatient and I’m not sure if I’ll even get the chance to finish before the holiday is upon us.

Luckily, Keith and I have decided to continue with our trend in recent years and scale the holidays back this year. We’re certainly not scaling back the holiday cheer – oh, no! But we try to walk a different path when it comes to the consumer aspects.

Each year, we hem and haw, stress and spend. And what’s the result? We give our loved ones things. Gift cards that get lost. Trinkets that gather dust. Games that are played for a few months, then forgotten.

For the past couple years, Keith and I have essentially forgone gifts to each other (we do a $20 limit, if that) and instead used the money we would have spent on unneeded – uh – “junk” to purchase gifts for Children’s Hospital Boston. It’s pretty cool. CHB has a “wish list” and you can simply pick out a gift (or a few gifts!) within your price range and purchase. You get a really sweet “thank you” card as well. And through Child’s Play, you can choose to give to a Children’s Hospital near you!

I’ve been spending a lot more time at CHB lately – either for my own appointments or visiting some good friends – and I see how these gifts are put to use. They are new for each child who gets to use them. And while visiting my dear Sasha and meeting Demi Lovato, I got to see a copy of one of the same movies I purchased for the unit last year! Pretty cool, right?

When Keith and I were just dating, this idea was originally formed for when we have our own family and kids (because what kid doesn’t get spoiled to all heck by extended family over the holidays? And do they really need all that?), but we realized that there was no reason to wait. We can start the tradition now!

This year, our gifts to each other will be sent to UMDF and Children’s.

Happy Holidays to all!