From fabulously successful entrepeneur Erik Prince
My boys used to go to an all-boys Catholic school. I used to host campouts – I should still, I just travel too much – but occasionally we host a campout on the farm in the spring or in the fall, kill a couple of deers, and leave them hanging. Then as soon as the boys are out, we butcher them together. These are kids from suburban Montgomery County and Fairfax County seeing this deer hanging there, having to cut it up, and then being given meat that they have to cook. It’s so good for kids to learn to be practical. I think we might have taken the division of labor a little too far.
Holidays are play time. We feast both literally and metaphorically. It’s that mood of consuming time and resources and foods and so on that make them holidays.
This transmission is a follow-up to our last transmission about Christmas, where we suggested applying the tested formula Work Play Serve to your holidays.
The family that works together,
and shirks together,
sticks together
“Together”—when possible. The ideal form is Work together that you then consume yourselves (Play together) or give to others (Serve together). This is primary production.
Today’s transmission has a variety of notes for primary production.
(Yet of all the advice we could give you, the best we could give you is transcendence as much as you are capable of. Worship. Adore. Embrace the light in the darkness. Let something soar.)
Christmas tree
It is not too late to cut a Christmas tree. Traditionally it was done on Christmas Eve itself. We cut ours just a couple of days ago. It is being decorated now.
The crook in the trunk is charming. The kids can’t stop commenting on it.
Pine boughs
It’s easy to get access to evergreen boughs to decorate with. Many of you have evergreens out in front, or just around the corner. December is as good a time as any to trim it a little.
One advantage of having a large family is you will almost certainly have at least one kid who has a knack for decorating.
Christmas Cards
I or my wife usually sign our Christmas cards. I don’t remember why this year we had everybody do it. It was fun. Different color of ink for everybody. We compared signatures. We talked a lot. It was fun.
Vanilla
Our neighbor gave us this homemade vanilla. It’s a great idea! They started several months ago with a big batch.
You could tell they were loving how much we loved it.
Pressed plants
If your outdoor work tends to produce flowers instead of fruits, or if you and your family just like poking around in the natural world, there is a way to extend this family concept into Christmas.
One of our daughters was busy this fall pressing flowers and frankly weeds. She is now converting them into stickers for water bottles and book binders. Here is an early sample that she asked us to test in our day book.
Bonfires, candles, hearthfires
Primary production of light and heat. You can’t beat it.
Cultural Production—Stories, Songs, Games, the Nativity Story
A lot of Christmas staples are primary production for culture. Your kids acting out the nativity? Wonderful. Reading the Christmas story in Luke 2 out loud? Powerful. Singing Christmas carols together? Beautiful. Joyful. Bountiful.
It is extremely easy to make up stories around Christmas. Christmas is a holiday for whimsy, which just means adding whatever element to your story that pops into your head without caring about rhyme or reason. Or you can tell family stories. Ask your kids for favorite Christmas memories.
Read the Gift of the Magi out loud. It is very short.