Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Will Christmas Be Ruined this Year?

A little over a week ago, I saw headlines such as "Christmas Will Be Ruined" or "Christmas is Cancelled" this year, etc. after the Vice President, traveling in Singapore, stated people should do their Christmas shopping now because there will be shortages. 

My first reaction was that having a shortage of "stuff" on the shelves would not ruin Christmas.  Then, the realist side of me realized that we live in such a world where the lack of buying and getting exactly what is desired at Christmas would ruin some people's Holiday.

Actually, I've been hearing about this and talking about it for a long time.  Quite a few people who write about the economy have been warning of supply line challenges that started with COVID shutdowns.  Since then, there have been multiple domino type failures with the supply chain; from a serious shortage of parts for electronics, to a shortage and increased prices for shipping containers, to a shortage of truck drivers, to drought bringing about crop losses... and everything in between.

Since I am always trying to stick to a budget, I think about Christmas all year round.  Especially since we have birthdays at the same time.  So, this didn't change my shopping habits, except to begin buying food products a month or two earlier than  usual.   

I also have always tried to keep Christmas gift shopping to a reasonable cost.  Part of the fun was to look for gifts loved ones would enjoy while also on a budget. (Laine of Laine's Letters was famous for finding wonderful gifts on a budget.)

What the headlines did show me is that the seriousness of the supply chain shortages has now risen far above the alternative news outlets. For many years there have been a few economy minded writers warning that it would take the tiniest crack in the supply chain to bring serious consequences and COVID was far worse than a crack in the chain.

So, what does this mean to you and to me?  It means we continue to do what hopefully we have been doing.  That is thinking ahead to what we are going to need and put back what we can buy now for later.  For many of us that may be a little at a time.  For others, God may be leading you to plan for a year or more.

I am convinced that we will be extremely happy that we took some of today's budget to invest in tomorrow's needs.  Of course, we will talk more about this in weeks to come.

I felt the need to reign in my kid's expectations for Christmas gifts when my daughter was very little.  It is easy, especially if there is a television in the house, for kids to want everything they see on TV and from comparing notes with their little friends.  They are pretty good at this even in their preschool years.

I wanted my kids to understand a Christ centered Christmas while letting them enjoy the same magical feelings (Narnia magic, of course) that I had for the Holiday season.  For to me, Christmas is a little taste of Heaven when the world sparkles and even the grocery store is playing music that talks about the birth if the Savior.

I think it is possible for children to look forward to a special gift without thinking they have to have multiple expensive gifts like so many children... and let's face it, adults do now.  

Perhaps having to think ahead as we plan and prepare for Christmas this year will cause all of us to pause and take a breath.  What if there is no need for last minute Christmas shopping to find "just one more" gift for a child to have under the tree.  I know that I had to stop quite often in the past and ask myself if my expectations come from the Lord or from advertisers.

We have all experienced that "let down" feeling when we have been given (or purchased) a longed for item and realized, unlike what we see on commercials, it did not fill our hearts with joy.

In my world, Christmas will not be ruined by a supply shortage.  It was dimmed quite a lot when Victoria died at Christmas.  It has been a challenge when we went through two different years of long term unemployment.  However, even then we learned one can have a wonderful Christmas and delicious Holiday feast on a minimal budget.

But the message of Christmas finds fulfillment at Easter when what seemed to be a death was actually Life and Life Eternal.  Jesus is the reason Christmas exists and no amount of shopping... or lack of shopping... will change that.  When we ask Him to be our Savior, then we can trust that He never leaves us or forsakes us.

As for this Christmas, I have been talking to God and asking Him for wisdom.  Wisdom for what to spend my little extra on each Stock Up Day to set aside for the future.  Wisdom to show me gifts loved ones will appreciate and to lead me to excellent bargains. I find praying first before doing any shopping, whether Amazon or the thrift store, to be the way to go.  His leading is always the best. 

Unless there is... God forbid... another COVID lockdown, I still plan to look through Barnes & Noble and a few other favorite stores during Christmas.  It is part of my Christmas traditions, beginning as a little girl when I would shop "Downtown" with my mother at Woolworth's and J.C. Penny and the bells from the Salvation Army attendants would be ringing on each corner.

Rather than sharing favorite cookbooks this week, I have been looking through old recipes to prepare for the Holidays.  It caused me to wonder how many people still have a recipe card box and use it often like I do.  My mother stuffed recipes she cut out to try someday in a Betty Crocker Cookbook.  My mother-in-law had a recipe card box but also a shoe box of cut out recipes, mostly from the Chicago Tribune.

Perhaps this year more than ever, we need to look at the old recipes and purchase what we can ahead of time to make one, or two, or three, or more of the old tried and true family gems.  In uncertain times, looking to those who have gone before us and come through difficulties can bring peace.

Mentioned in this Blog Post

Laine's Letters archived... here. (She shared the BEST recipes!)