What are you really giving?

Long ago Sears sent a Christmas catalog and I poured over it with my siblings making a long wish list. Years later I recalled the catalog and decided to make a small, reasonable catalog for my children. I gave them three choices on each page. I had a number of low priced pages and one for a choice of a few larger items. That made life easier on a tight budget.

I also added ideas of what they could do or make for parents and siblings for Christmas. And I had a page of gifts for Jesus. This listed ways to give to Christ that included giving toys to a needy child.That helped them prepare gifts and helped them focus on others and what they were really giving.

As a grandmother now I let me children and grandchildren let me know a few things they might enjoy. Some of them use an online wish list.

I know one family that took a special approach when they had no money for gifts. They gave each child a silver dollar in an elegant gift box. They attached a note that sometime during the year they would have the opportunity to redeem the coin for a gift. As they were able they did just that with a special day for the child that included a fun activity and a shopping trip to buy something within a spending limit.

It’s not too early to consider how you will approach gift-giving this year or to consider how you might help a family out who is facing hardships (gift card to a toy store).

Blessings,
Karen