One of my all time favorite commercials is the back-to-school one where the dad is at Staples with his kids and in the background the song, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is playing. I looked high and low for a good copy to direct everyone to watch, but at last- nothing. One bad fuzzy copy and that’s it. I am sure most of you remember the one, though.

Back-to-school season has many fond memories for me. I always have loved the season, especially when I as a kid. Where I grew up, it was the beginning of fall, which is my favorite season. Ahhh, I miss the fall… It also meant new clothes. I loved shopping with my mom! Actually, I still enjoy it somewhat, but I am not sure shopping will ever be on my “love list” again. I have grown up and developed this “frugal gene” along with an ever expanding hyper-active conscious about over-indulgence. I can no longer look at shopping as a past time or something fun to do. Now I look at shopping more as a trip to obtain needed items. Yes, it can be somewhat enjoyable. Knowing that we can provide for our needs is fulfilling and if I am by myself, well, that’s just relaxing, but it’s just not the same feeling I got years ago. Actually, I do as much shopping as I can online to avoid the entire typical shopping scheme all together.

Not only did I love shopping for clothes, but I enjoyed getting new school supplies too. Trapper Keepers, Lisa Frank folders, new pencils, a new book bag, a lunch bag - every year. This was all part of the back-to-school ritual. I always scoured the stores for what I thought to be the coolest of everything. I had to have certain things and stressed until I found them.

Now I face back-to-school rituals with my kids. A will probably have a few similar memories to mine, as her previous years of school we pretty much followed the same rituals that I remembered. This year will be different. As I open up my craft closet, boxes of barely used colored pencils drop out. (Yeah, I know I need to really clean it out if things are dropping- it’s on my to do list, I swear!) Bottles of glue tumble over and 3 pencil cases look as if they are ready to crash at any moment. These are the back-to-school supplies of years past. Still in good condition, usable and wasting away in closetville. Not for long. Hang on little guys, there is hope in site.

Before I shop at a regular store this year, I will be shopping in our closet. Yup, maybe the kids won’t be having the newest this or the shiniest that, but I guess they will have to learn to accept it. We also won’t be scouring the stores for clothes this year, either. A recently got almost an entire new wardrobe (thanks Aunt Judee) and she will be making do with that. Ty will be getting a few pairs of shorts, as he seems to have grown right out of the few he has this summer.

I have no qualms about going to the store and picking up the stuff we actually need and can’t supply and help reduce waste and over spending. This year I am committed to try and lessen the money we spend and waste we produce on purchasing items that aren’t really needed. If half way through the year those glue bottles run out? Great. I will head right over to the store and grab a new one. No problemo. Does A really need a new book bag every year when her one from last year is perfectly fine? In years past, that wouldn’t of mattered to me, I would get one because that was the back-to-school tradition. Not anymore. I am working on training my mind to think of repairing items, finding new uses for worn out items and looking in 2nd hand shops for stuff before I purchase new. It’s green, it’s frugal, and it teaches an important lesson to my kids.

At times I doubt my new take on this entire thing. I worry about my kids feeling like maybe they don’t fit in or that we don’t have as much money as we need. Financially, we could continue on with our wasteful spending if we so chose, but we don’t. But, even with my doubts, I feel convicted that the larger lessons my kids will hopefully gain from this will outweigh any uncomfortable they may endure. While my parents provided me with nothing but fond memories of our back-to-school ritual and they weren’t all about consumerism (we had a great time being together shopping), I want to provide my kids with something a little different.

I still want to make back-to-school season something memorable. I plan on using a few of the ideas suggested in The Book of New Family Traditions and try to focus more on the time together. I want us to do fun things that are centered around the season, family and the possibilities of another year in school. So, how about you? Do you have any back-to-school traditions that you are willing to share?

* Yes, Lynsey, I will be buying the kids new shoes. How can I not ? I believe a good pair of well made NEW shoes can really make or break a day. Sore feet are not worth it. (I will be getting a sale on them- of course!)

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