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Lansing's Advice Column

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Dear IMO,

We have three children, and every year I dread this time of year. It's not that I'm the Grinch, but our kids have way too much stuff. There is so much stuff in their closets, the basement, and the attic I think we could open up our own toy store. I'd like to lighten the load this year and have them/us do something different this year. Do you have any suggestions that can get us in the Christmas spirit without getting bogged down in the avalanche of stuff?

Sincerely,

Sheila

Dear Sheila,

Bah Humbug! Ebenezer Scrooge summed up the frenzy of Christmas quite nicely, and if he were alive today, some say he is, he'd really have a field day with the complete chaos of the buying season. In fact, from the tone of your letter, it sounds like there's a bit of frustration and dread in your life as you gas up the old SUV and head toward the Pyramid Mall for an excursion into extreme Christmas shopping.

But there is some hope to the holiday gift giving. Since your children seem to have filled every available storage space in the house with toys from Christmas past, why don't you organize a gift giving party giveaway. Assemble all the children and ask them to go through all their toys, games, stuffed animals, and unwanted clothing and assemble them into three piles.

Pile one will be those items that are in good-excellent condition and can be donated to a charity such as Toys-for Tots, the Salvation Army, or any agency that is collecting them. Pile two represents those few special items that one cannot live without such as Mr. Potato Head or the favorite Teddy Bear missing an eye, ear, and/or limbs. The third and final pile consists of those items beyond recognition or repairs and awaits a final resting place in the county landfill.

This activity ought to instill in your children the ideals of charity, generosity, and thrift, not to mention open up vast acreage of new storage space in your home. Perhaps they might even realize how lucky or blessed they are to have such loving (crazy) parents like you. Then, ask each of your kids something they would like and need much like Laura Ingalls asking Paw for something special at Christmas time. You'll be glad you did.

A Merry Christmas to all and to all . . . a clutter less Christmas.

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