Friday, December 12, 2008

Perspective

Photo: House & Garden

I thought I'd share a photo of one of my favorite doors! I just love this pretty blue door and its frosty aqua wreath.
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Things at the office are rather busy and also stressful with the economic downturn. I work in a busy "Oil & Gas" town and layoffs are starting to trickle through the industry. Everyone is worried and we expect next year to be worse. We've lost one of our junior engineers already and rumours are that we face up to 300 job cuts in the new year. For a company of 2800 people, that means more than 1 in 10 may lose their job. One of my colleague's husband was laid off, and with 2 small children, they are rather worried. So it definitely puts a damper on the holiday spirit. And also lends some perspective!
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I wonder if you have been affected yet?
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I've decorated our house and it looks lovely, but I haven't honestly felt that excited about Christmas. We've cut back the gift budget (which feels good actually), but with job losses looming, it's amazing how your perspective changes. I suddenly see so much of the junk and consumerism related to Christmas as a terrible waste of money. And I wonder when I became such a materialist. I am not a big money waster compared to many, and simply want a beautiful home, but when did the joy of life become the eternal acquistion of new things?
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So this Christmas, the only expense we indulged in terms of decoration was our Christmas tree. I bought my cards on sale last Christmas and kept them wrapped up, so opening them this year was a nice surprise! Otherwise, we've bought nothing new for the house. Instead, I just moved $6000 into savings. I suddenly feel like a machine that is being re-programmed from constant self-gratification to constant saving. It's positively weird.
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Don't get be wrong. I still covet things, but they look profoundly less shiny and necessary when you imagine being unemployed for 18 months or longer.
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And my desire to save probably isn't good for the economy! I work in the plastics industry after all, and should be encouraging you all to go out and BUY BUY BUY (particularly something FAKE)! Still, don't you think our economy and our lives were getting a little overinflated? So perhaps many of us needed a dose of perspective.
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We're having a dinner party tomorrow night and another next Sunday. We'll probably splurge on food and nice wine and desserts, but I'd rather share the season's bounty feeding family and friends than on buying more stuff I really, honestly don't need.
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I hope I haven't dampened your holiday spirits. It's snowing heavily outside and I'm starting to feel positively festive - but instead of going overboard shopping this weekend, we will cook and bake and live vicariously through blogs and window-shopping instead!

9 comments:

  1. you haven't dampened my spirits! it's a good reminder, for sure. also, reading the words 'frosted aqua wreath' brings to mind something heinous -- an 80s wreath? but it is quite lovely.

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  2. Well said. Your approach to the holidays sounds lovely, and certainly bang on considering the apparently tumulutous times ahead in your industry. I am sure everything looks beautiful, as your style is simple and elegant and you are warm and welcoming.

    Have a great weekend Terri!

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  3. No, you've not dampened my spirits, Terri. Even as I say that, I can tell you that, yes, we are definitely feeling the pinch. But my Christmas spirit isn't about the lovely extras. It's about something else entirely and that remains constant. Let's pray that this economy begins to shift around and right itself.

    Have fun with your friends this weekend!

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  4. Hi Terri, I feel the same way about Christmas this year. We have definately felt the "pinch" this year. More like a big "grab" than a pinch! It does put things into perspective, however, I realize now how much I have (ie my Family, my home, the simple but most necessary things that money can't even touch) and not what I don't have. It should make the holidays even more special this year to really focus on what's important. It will be the celbrating the true spirit of the holidays! Thank you for your beautiful post. Have a most beautiful holiday!
    Judith~

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  5. Anonymous5:47 pm

    Your words ring so true!!!!!

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  6. What a fresh perspective that speaks of truth and honesty. Sometimes when life changes it puts everything "right" in our world and we see what we are meant to see and realize what has the true value.

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  7. It is interesting, the radical shift in the psyche of the the US and Canada, and presumably much of the world. People are more serious these days, more aware of costs, trying to be sensitive due to the fact that there are a lot of people out there who are experiencing a lot of uncertainty. I do think that this is a wake up call...we should all be more aware of what we earn, what we buy, how much we save.

    My heart goes out to all those who have lost their jobs in recent months.

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  8. Anonymous3:59 am

    I have gone the same route a couple of years ago when I quit my full-time job after putting things in order. A slow process that was but still no regret whatsoever. I am now living THE simple life and you know what? don't miss a thing. Thank you for putting into words what I was thinking. Louise

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  9. What a wonderful post! I found you via Rita. Happy Holidays to you!

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