Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

I remember the U.S. Bicentennial very well.  The Semiquincentennial this year (Who even knew that was a word!) is nothing like it. For years leading up to the Bicentennial, patriotic fervor and nostalgia were high.  Every girl in my high school had at least one "prairie dress" – a long, gathered skirt, often in a floral pattern featuring red, white, and blue.  I remember the quilt on my bed – it was also red, white, and blue.  "Early American" furniture and décor had been popular for quite a while.  We had Bicentennial quarters, commemorative stamps, a special Bicentennial license plate on the car, and the nightly "Bicentennial Minutes" on CBS-TV. I also remember reading about the Bicentennial Wagon Train that started in Washington State and traveled across the country to arrive at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania on July 4th.  There was a televised armada of tall ships that sailed from New York to Boston.  My family visited my aunt and uncle who lived in...

I appreciate the men and women who have served in the armed forces.  They sacrificed time, comfort, safety, and sometimes their futures so that I could live in a country that still believes in democracy and freedom. Today, my husband Jon and I will give thanks for these family members who gave their lives: my grandfather's older brother Robert, who died fighting in France in World War I Jon's grandfather August, who was killed while driving an army ambulance in north Africa during World War II Raymond, Douglas, and Smitty, comrades and friends of Jon's father Bob, who perished fighting in Germany during World War II We also appreciate other relatives who served: Jon's uncle Ray, who served during World War II my father Robert, his brother Kenneth, and all four of my mother's brothers, who served in the army at various times during the Cold War Jon's older cousin Steve, who was wounded in Vietnam My sister-in-law's father Dan and my son-in-law's father Ri...

I know not all of you share my Christian faith, and I respect that.  This site isn't about religion, although for me, minimalism and gratitude illuminate and enhance my spiritual beliefs.  Maybe they do the same for you. But the strength of any community includes its diversity.  Different perspectives teach us, challenge us, and help us see things in a clearer, more well-rounded way.  All of us can benefit from a broader outlook that lets us see aspects and ideas we wouldn't come up with by ourselves. So when I write about Easter, I don't expect everyone to receive it in the same way.  Still, I think there are some universal lessons we can draw from this season, regardless of our spiritual backgrounds or beliefs. The promise of Easter Easter, for Christians, should more correctly be called Resurrection Sunday.  It celebrates Jesus' return to life after his crucifixion, which is remembered on Good Friday. It's not about eggs or bunnies.  At its heart, E...

My dad was a history buff, so I'm pretty sure my interest comes from him.  I always think of him at this time of year, since his birthday was the day after Christmas.  When I was a kid, we always put away all holiday decorations (except for the tree) on the morning of December 26th so we could have birthday balloons instead.  Apparently, my dad's birthday was never really celebrated when he was young because of its proximity to Christmas, and my mom wanted to make up for that. If you're at all interested in history, and especially the way it applies and informs us today, don't miss the limited series Death by Lightning on Netflix, with fantastic performances by Michael Shannon, Nick Offerman, and English actor Matthew Macfadyen, who manages to sound convincingly like a Midwesterner. Shannon portrays the reluctant 20th U.S. President James Garfield , a Civil War general and U.S. representative from Ohio, who was staunchly anti-slavery and pro-suffrage.  Perhaps if hi...

My family and I are long-time fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's work, especially The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings .  My husband Jon and I had each read and loved those wonderful books more than once before we left college.  When our children were 9 and 12, we embarked on a very ambitious project.  In anticipation of the release of Peter Jackson's film, The Fellowship of the Ring , Jon and I wanted to reread the entire four-volume work, and also give our kids the chance to experience it as Tolkien created it, before their imaginations were influenced by the film interpretation.  So we committed to spend approximately one hour each evening, all through the summer and fall of 2001, reading aloud that massive and beautiful saga.  The kids clamored for more every night, and this became the high point of our family life at that time. However, none of us had ever seen or heard of Tolkien's Letters from Father Christmas ,* written and illustrated for his own children from 1...

Have you seen the wonderful 1947 film, Miracle on 34th Street ?*  It's one of my all-time favorites, and I try to watch it at least once every year.  Of course, it's perfectly cast (especially Edmund Gwenn and the young Natalie Wood), and full of delightful moments.  (The scene at the beginning about the correct order of the reindeer comes to mind, along with the bubble gum incident, the judge getting buried in letters to Santa, and so many more.) * Thank you for supporting this blog with your purchases.  If you use my links, I may earn a small commission. Not only does Miracle have its laugh-out-loud moments, but there's a love story, along with a mystery and some suspense.  Of course, it's mostly a movie about Santa Claus... or is it? Nobody's perfect. One thing that Miracle on 34th Street is not is syrupy, unlike so many Christmas movies.  In fact, the miracle of Christmas happens despite the fact that almost every character (with the exception of Kri...

For me, Christmas means music, candles, the Christmas Eve service at church, and time with family playing board games or watching the old black and white Miracle on 34th Street .  For you, Christmas might mean your annual ski trip, dressing up to attend the Nutcracker ballet, eating cookies and drinking eggnog, or hanging Christmas lights and decorating the tree.  You want to create the memories and carry on the traditions that mean most to you, but you don't want to feel stressed or anxious while you do it.  This time of year is meant to be joyful, not pressured.  So how can you make things simpler, but keep what matters? 10 ideas for a relaxed and cozy holiday 1.  Begin with deciding what Christmas means to you. Give yourself a focus, and everything will be simpler.  Other things can go by the wayside as long as you accomplish what matters most to you. 2.  Choose a mantra. Make your holiday about one main idea, and remind yourself of it frequently....

Have you heard of the Five Love Languages ?  It's a concept that's been around for more than 30 years, ever since pastor and marriage counselor Gary Chapman wrote a book about it. I'm not going to debunk the idea, since many people have found that it helps them understand and relate to their loved ones.  I do think it's important to note that all of us give and receive love in multiple ways.  Maybe the important takeaway from the Five Love Languages concept is that love is expressed by spending time and paying attention, saying kind and uplifting words, sharing physical closeness, performing acts of service, and – sometimes – giving appropriate gifts. Love is not a transaction. What I have a problem with is the assertion that, for some people, giving and receiving gifts is the main or only way they can express love or feel loved.  I think that idea is ridiculous, and demonstrably untrue.  How many of us have known someone whose parents always showered them with...

I've been choosing a simpler life for more than 25 years, and I still get caught up in Christmas Chaos.  I still get sucked into comparison thinking.  My husband and I set very clear priorities about gifts, parties, and other activities, and I still find myself vulnerable to ads, sales, and pretty, curated pictures of what other people are buying doing, and creating. So before it all gets ramped up into high gear, I want to think carefully about what I want this season to look and feel like.  It's a wonderful time of year, but it's not the ONLY time of year.  It's not right for us to burn ourselves and our wallets out so that we have no energy or cash for the next several months.  Life continues after December 25th, and we need to have some resources left. A little advance planning about what we want to do – and what we don't want to do – can help us out. 6 suggestions for a slower, simpler holiday 1.  Set limits and priorities. It's good to do this early s...

Nine times out of 10, when I tell people what I write about, they say "I could never be a minimalist."  Or "That would just be too hard."  Or "I could never give up my _____."  Or possibly, "I wouldn't want to limit myself." But here's the truth we hide from:  We're all minimizing something, whether we realize it or not. Every day, we make choices about how we'll spend our time, energy, money, attention, talents, affections, and more.  These important assets are all finite.  Even the richest or most talented person has a limit on his or her time and attention.  No one can have or do everything. So every day, we have to decide how we're going to use these precious resources.  And every choice is a trade-off.  If I say yes to doing or buying or listening to one thing, I have to say no to something else.  If I choose more possessions, I have to give up something else.  If I choose more work, I can't do something else. The cum...