Poor Thanksgiving. It's merely a blip on the calendar between the mass marketing frenzies of Halloween and the holidays. And with Black Friday starting earlier every year, the shopping madness is in full swing even before the leftovers get put away.
Some of this stuff is fun -- helping your kid make her first wish list, admiring the lights and holiday decorations, and even dreaming about the gifts that'll make your kids' hearts sing. But there's a downside, too, and we all know what it is: the invasive consumerist culture that makes us fight over the last Elmo doll and prompts our kids to beg for pricey, name-brand products.
Is it possible to partake of only those holiday rituals you love -- twinkling lights, yummy treats, peace -- and nix the parts you don't -- escalating prices, overflowing wish lists, unrealistic expectations, crying, begging, and whining? We think yes. But you'll need to start training yourself and your kids now to think more critically about holiday
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