Several years ago we made the big three gift announcement to our children at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Each child will get three gifts for Christmas – my oldest son added in “Just as the wise men brought three gifts to Jesus it was good enough for him it should be good enough for us”.
My goal that year was to Commit to Spending less on gifts, Give more Presence, and Love like Jesus teaching my children the true meaning of Christmas.
Shortly after tht big three gift announcement I asked my youngest if he wanted to make his Christmas list he responded with “It’s so hard, are we really only getting three gifts?” I used this as a teaching opportunity asking him why we celebrate Christmas, asking him for his ideas of what could we do that year to give more presence and love like Jesus would to others and to our family. We discussed ideas such as delivering treats to our local firemen, collecting food for those who may not have a Christmas meal as he will and taking time for others. It was fun to see him beginning to get it – That Christmas is not all about the gifts and what we get but about celebrating the best gift that was given to us Jesus.
Each year our goal is to continue to find ways to teach our kids the true meaning of Christmas.
Have you seen this You Tube video on the Advent Conspiracy – it just might inspire you to join my family this Christmas as we Spend less on gifts, Give more Presence, and Love like Jesus