as they had been instructed

Holiday tradition: the day after purge.

We have too much, that's the simple truth of it. We already had too much. Add to the too much, more stuff, and you get way too much. So the 26th is spent removing the XMas decorations (room by room -- we've already established I have some issues) and creating two piles: garbage and give.

The kids get in on the household sweep as well. They understand that they have way too much for the space they have, and that choices need to be made. Do we keep the brand-new, still shiny game, or keep the ripped box, played it twice this year game? They also understand that many don't have what they have, and that the still mint, rarely played toy would make some other child with far less quite happy.

It is easy to establish traditions of family fun. It is harder to establish traditions of order and charity. One will result in lasting memories. The other will result in changed characters.