I have a really big family and we always try to get together for Christmas. This past Christmas, my Mother (the ring leader), decided that we would have a 'no present' Christmas. She decided that we would concentrate more on the meaning of Christmas and spending time together without the financial stress and worry that comes along with the present buying and making sure that all the kids get the same amount of stuff and blah, blah, blah. At first we were all a little hesitant and our kids were totally sad, but it ended up being the best holiday ever! We had talent shows, made cookies, played in the snow, watched tons of good movies, played lotsa games and just spent the entire week getting to know each other all over again. Since we didn't do presents at Christmas, we decided to give the kids rather large birthdays. It's much easier to concentrate on one person at a time. I'm not sure if we will do another 'no present' Christmas this year. I'm not even sure if we will be able to make the long trip home or not. I do know that I will never forget last Christmas.
The film club sounds very interesting. Count me in!