Let the holidays begin. On Sunday night, I attended the always amazing youth choir Christmas concert by the Brentwood United Methodist Church’s Sonshine, Jubilation and Alleluia choirs.  It’s been a few years now since one of my boys sang with the choir but it’s still the official start of my holiday every year.

There’s something about the dimly lit, three-story round narthex with more than 150 teenagers singing in candlelight that just sets the tone, especially coming three days after what I believe is the purest of holidays – or at least was until Black Friday mania took over.

My boys will tell you I’ve promised “small and thoughtful” Christmases for the past four or five years but have yet to really deliver. Somehow, no matter what the family budget, which is nowhere near where it was just a few years ago, there have always been way too many gifts under the tree.

This year I’m determined to really keep things simple. I started on Shop Small Saturday, venturing out to pick up a few “small but thoughtful” presents from the local merchants that now call Brentwood home.  A lot of people will get pecan pies this year, maybe with the recipe attached.

I’m really looking forward to the city’s tree lighting and the Lions Club’s pancake breakfast and many of the other homegrown events around town. You can check them out in our 2011 Holiday Countdown that starts today. Let’s all try to put a little perspective in the holiday season this year.

Small and thoughtful has a nice ring to it, just like the Music City Bronze, Nashville’s premiere community handbell ensemble, which will be in concert here this Sunday.

Small, thoughtful and free. I like it.

Susan Leathers is editor of Brentwood Home Page. Click here to read previous columns. Email her at susan@brentwoodhomepage.com