Our family has decided to make our Christmas about the kids this year. The adults have agreed not to buy each other gifts. The money that we would have spent on those gifts is going to go to help others. We haven't decided exactly where we are going to send the money but we've made the commitment to start looking for a special project to fund.
All of the adults are going to do something creative for each other instead of buying a gift. That can range from a coupon for free babysitting for Shannon to a special Bible verse with a letter telling the person why you chose that verse for them. Anything is OK as long as no one spends any money. It's OK to use resources that you already have such as craft items but there is no going out and buying anything to add to the project.
Cari sort of wigged out about this idea because she claims it will take too much time and effort. We sat and talked about it for a bit the other night before bed. I tried to explain that it didn't need to be a big complicated thing. She said, "Oh, so I suppose if I got popsicle sticks and glued pompoms on them to make stick people, that would be OK!?!"
Her exclaimation was both a statement and a question and for some reason it struck me funny. I could just see someone opening up a gift to find a family of popsicle stick people. We got hysterical laughing about that and then, of course, we had to think of other gifts we could make too. We thought of a paper bag puppet, making play-doh bugs, A paper airplane and an Admiral's hat out of folded newspaper. Save tin cans for pencil holders and make a chain out of gum wrappers. We could even make an origami crane and flower or two.
After laughing until our sides hurt we calmed down and talked a bit more about how blessed we have been this year. She got to go on her Italian adventure. Dennis' business is great this year. I've accomplished something I never dreamed possible by losing so much weight and getting healthy. We have everything we've ever needed. We are going to have a fun Christmas Eve with the three of us, my parents, my sister, Carol; Bryan, Shannon, Megan, Nathan, Andrew and the new baby yet to be born and Sam. The house will be full of laughter and love - maybe a little screaming from the kids (LOL) - but the overall feeling will be FUN. Who needs more?
8 comments:
Great idea. There are so many out there who need a special hand to make their holidays even half way pleasant. I think of the Rescue Missions, Battered Women's Shelters, CareNet (formerly Crisis Pregnancy), Salvation Army shelters, etc. At work we always pick one place to focus on, the last few years it's been the local Battered Women's shelter. They usually leave with their kids and just the clothes on their backs. So everything is needed and those precious little kids love new toys, too. One year, we even collected new socks and distributed them to a church that has a ministry to the street people (which also includes kids at times.) Linda in Washington state
What a great idea, Kathy!! I like the part about making gifts that don't cost anything!
Hugs
jackie
A great idea Kathy, I laughed at the popsicle family! I've never thought of Christmas as a time for spending vast amounts on something people don't really want or need. Much better to give it to a charity that needs it. Have a great weekend! Jeannette xx
This is a wonderful idea ,Christmas has become far to commercialised,with such alot of money spent on nonsense,will be looking forward to hearing how you do this ,.,.,Jan xx
What a lovely idea, one of my friends last year didnt send cards or gifts to anyone, she brought gift vouchers for her immediate family,but only for a fraction of the amount that she would normally spend, and the money that she saved went to a local charity, she said that she had a few people grumble about it, but she is doing it again this year
take care Lynne xx
What a fun idea! Jae
What a fantastic idea you are doing! I think I will do something charitable this year too. What it is yet, I don't know, but I will have to think about it. Actually, I think I do know what I will do. Our church puts together these things called Jerimiah boxes for children who have to go in for cancer treatment. Each child gets a box when they go in for treatment, and the box has stuff to play with in it. B/c cancer treatment can be long and boring. Every year at Christmas time our church collects toys for the boxes and makes them. I think John and I will buy some small toys to add to the boxes.
Yes, getting homemade gifts from each other is a great idea. It takes a little thought, but that makes it all the more special! We did that a lot when I was younger for Christmas.
Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink
Good idea for the holidays.
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