Christmas is around the corner and lots of talk of gifts, charity, and cookies in our house right now. Every year we always help out another family in need. It's been fun to watch and encourage our girls to buy for someone else during a season in which the focus is on them (kids in general). We have been trying to shift the focus more and more each year. Even though we have always given only 3 gifts under the tree, it still seems to steal away the real reason of the celebration. In our home, we celebrate this time of year due to the birth of Christ. We not only focus on the birth of Christ but how fortunate we are this time of year and how desperate the rest of the world is. Talking about kids in other countries isn't just a one time thing in our home. We are always finding ways to talk about the less fortunate and opportunities to help others in America, Africa, Asia, or anywhere for that matter!
Since we usually do Operation Christmas Child with World Vision, we also received a magazine about different ways to help provide for kids in other countries. This year the magazine made a huge impact with my 2 girls. They stared, flipped, and gasped as they contemplated the possibilities of purchasing cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, and fruit trees for other families. So, we decided to start saving now for next December. The girls decided they wanted to purchase a dairy cow, since it wouldn't be 'killed' and the other animals would be eaten and it made them sad. They are still grasping that concept! LOL... So, they give part of their allowance each week to 'giving' (church) and this year it will go to the 'Cow fund'. I'm excited!
This is a tough concept to teach in a country that wants for nothing and has more than needed. I speak mostly of our family. We are spoiled beyond measure and blessed. Because there is nothing wrong with blessings and wealth, we have decided to share what God has given to us. It may not seem like much at times but it's what we can do. Will our kids still receive gifts? Of course!! We've just tried to scale down and possibly move past the 'large' gifts and stick to simple needs/wants so that more time/money can be given to others.
Instead of focusing on being thankful in November we are gonna try something new this year. We are gonna use the advent calendar to focus on what we are thankful for in our family each day in December. It is only natural to be focusing on the many Christmas parties, cookies, and gifts for our family and what we want to do and buy this month for us. Being thankful for the blessings given to us by God and the biggest blessing of all, His birth, can really change our view. It would be so cool to one day prepare enough in advance so that we gave something away each day in December. This year we will give away of our time, words, and Alexander 'treasures'. It's a start. My guess is that our kids will either be amazing givers one day and turn into selfless people or end up in years of counseling cause their parents deprived them of the traditional Christmas Treasures! LOL
Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I bake, decorate, and always, always, always buy a real tree the day after Thanksgiving. So yes, we do participate in the spirit and culture of Christmas in the USA as much as the next person. It's just that we are hoping to keep the focus on Him and not us. :)
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