I am throwing this out for discussion. Many of us have talked about it in the past, but we have never actually done it. The proposal is to have Christmas gifts only for the children this year and take all money that would be spent otherwise and bless another family. Here are my arguments in favor of the idea...
*we have had 30+ years of HUGE Christmases and many people have never even had one small one
*I am only proposing this for this year. We are not getting together on Christmas Day or I would not propose it. We can still have our get together (food!) and let the kids open gifts
*The way I figure it, with the money we usually spend, we could buy gifts for any kids in the family and then give the parents a sizable amount of cash at a time of year that is so hard financially.
*this would cut a break for anyone in our family that is experiencing tight finances; there is no pressure to contribute.
*Kara already has a family in mind. It is an elderly couple who are raising their 3 grand kids. It has eaten up their retirement to do this because they were not planning on raising a second family.
*****The most important part of this whole idea is COMPLETE COOPERATION! If we agree to do this and someone (Pops and Nana) decides to contribute but still buys gifts, then it ruins the whole thing. I vote for a trial year of this. I get so excited at Christmas and always want to give to others, but I spend so much that I end up only being able to do an angel tree or something. We could do so much altogether!
Cast your votes.
Sara
We had some spooks tonight and one stayed. Reese is here with us for the evening, something about Pete needing to take more cold medicine......I didn't get the whole story, but Sara said that she was going to give him more of the same medicine tonight that he had last night.... Oh well! Reese and Avery and Nana and Jodi had a good time trick or treating. 
