It's that time of year you know... folks think about giving, some think about getting (aka one 8 year old... Mom... are you really only giving me ONE present for Christmas this year???? Really mom????) and seriously we don't give expensive or large amounts of presents at Christmas in our family. But it's the whole giving/getting pull that really starts to happen this time of year.
So how does one teach the spirit of giving in the midst of the high consumerism of the season of getting and wanting and thinking one is needing?
1. We do our best not to over emphasis gifts....but more the spirit of giving. Is that hard for an eight year old to understand? For sure, but I figure it will come with time.
2. We don't put ourselves into debt over Christmas. We learn what each other is wanting and hoping for, and we don't strive to meet it all, but to pick one or possibly two items, generally lower cost affordable items.
3. We don't open presents on Christmas day. Christmas Day is for the celebration of Christ's birth.
4. We find ways to be helpful during this season of "give me give me". Lending a hand to those who need help from helping with the local aid society to singing in nursing homes.
5. We give and teach the art of being thankful throughout the year. This gives us a building block for changing the focus of this season a bit.
How do you plan to address the give me give me of the season and balance it out with giving? What practical things do you do?
This entry will be linked with Blogging through the Alphabet with Ben and Me.
1. We do our best not to over emphasis gifts....but more the spirit of giving. Is that hard for an eight year old to understand? For sure, but I figure it will come with time.
2. We don't put ourselves into debt over Christmas. We learn what each other is wanting and hoping for, and we don't strive to meet it all, but to pick one or possibly two items, generally lower cost affordable items.
3. We don't open presents on Christmas day. Christmas Day is for the celebration of Christ's birth.
4. We find ways to be helpful during this season of "give me give me". Lending a hand to those who need help from helping with the local aid society to singing in nursing homes.
5. We give and teach the art of being thankful throughout the year. This gives us a building block for changing the focus of this season a bit.
How do you plan to address the give me give me of the season and balance it out with giving? What practical things do you do?
This entry will be linked with Blogging through the Alphabet with Ben and Me.
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