Making Space

Tomorrow is the Advent Advent Toy Swap.  I made it up and made other people participate so that my own need for space could be accommodated.  The mom's group at church will gather as they do on Fridays and bring all their Done With 'Em toys.  We'll spread them out over a few tables and then people will be free to grab whatever appeals.  No valuations, no equal trades, no rules.  Just a socialist redistribution of toy wealth.  Whatever is left over will be thrown in the back of my car and dropped off at the local thrift store.

In addition to making up the Toy Swap, I made up the season: Advent Advent.  It is the time after Halloween and before Advent (aka, "November") when I will prepare for Advent.  I realized that I needed this after last year's Christmas left me feeling behind the 8-ball from the very first day.  I had about 16 Santa's up, but not a single nativity scene or other hint of Jesus. I was full of ugliness about gift buying, particularly for ... well, other people. I found it very difficult to find the Joy of the Lord and was getting pretty fearful that I was building a family tradition of Holiday Hate and Despair for my sweet young children.

So this year, it's Advent Advent. A time to make space and plans for Advent, to be mindful about where I want to set my eyes and my heart for the weeks ahead.

The toy purge is making physical space - I can feel less angry about choosing and receiving gifts for my children if I don't feel hateful and overwhelmed by the collection we already have because I've gone through it and eliminated what is no longer useful or pleasure-making. The toy swap eliminates maybe a very thin layer of consuming by replacing buying with sharing.

Next I will hope to figure out how to make heart-space.  Ideas?