Too Attached to Material Things is BAD, or is it?

I worry a lot about James and his attachment to material things instead of spending his time forging friendships around experiences that are not his obsessions.  He would much rather spend all of his awake hours at the computer playing Minecraft or playing on his tablet or Game Boy. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get him to come out of his sanctum to have supper with the family.  We do insist most nights a week but as soon as he is finished, hand goes up and he is asking to "please be excused." He is my little wannabe capitalist.  He LOVES stuff.  So much stuff, he can't keep track of it.  Every year, I pledge to limit how much comes in to the house during the holidays.
This year I decided to make memory pillows for both of the kids out of shirts that were my father-in-law's.  Their beloved Papa passed away on 9/18/15 and it hasn't been easy for them.  My daughter understands the finality of it but James, well, being so black and white, he has a different take on it.  The shirt I chose for him was worn by Papa for the first picture of him holding a very tiny James. It is completely faded from wear but still recognizable. When James got it on Christmas morning, he looked at it and then me and simply said, "I love it."  Praise indeed!  In the pocket of the shirt I had a card with the above picture on one side and on the other, I had written,

The brightness of this shirt may have faded, but Papa’s love for you never will. When you hold this pillow remember all of the wonderful time you two shared.

Christmas 2015

James got many other gifts for Christmas and he had a wonderful day.  We did the usual prompting on how to graciously receive a gift as there have been many mishaps in past years.  He did great and the day went off without one single sign of a tantrum!  This morning, the day after Christmas, James came into my room with the pillow in his arms.  He is such a sensitive soul and with a slight grin, asked me to kiss the pillow.  I did and he did and away he went with this the simplest gift made of faded, well loved material.  I guess sometimes material objects can be the best gift ever.

Happiest of Holidays, Merry Everything, Peace Everywhere, and to all, the joy of loved ones with us and gone before us, from the Laughter House.