My family tried to do Advent Conspiracy last year with little success. Over Thanksgiving we raised the idea of doing things a little differently instead of our normal Christmas routine. Everyone thought it was a great idea to some degree, so we had a hybrid Christmas where we did, in fact, spend less by doing the "picking one name out of a hat" gig (I have always thought this is a terrible idea...if I get a guy's name, I don't know what to buy and end up just getting something I would want, and if I get a girl's name...Lord help me).
Anyways, we did spend less, but we failed with the main point of it. We had every intention of gathering as a family and giving the money we would have spent to the thirsty or cooking food for the hungry, but we just didn't do it. Everyone, instead, spent less and saved the money, but missed the point. So this time around we will have to do a better job of indentifying a need and make it a point to spend more on presence than presents. Oh by the way, the Snuggie is at the top of my wish list.
