This year has been really difficult for our family to do Christmas. Looking over the budget Phil and I weren't sure how we were going to do anything at all. This of coarse is a worry and a burden on both our shoulders. Then, participating in the Forgotten Carols and listening to the Christmas Devotional that was put on by the First Presidency of the church we knew we our worries were on the wrong subject. Christmas isn't about being able to spend all this money on gifts for every single person you love and want to give something to. We wish our circumstances were different right now, but on second thought maybe this is the greatest gift and blessing we could receive this holiday season.
Christmas is about CHRIST. He would have us serve and turn our hearts to Him. With all this in mind, we decided to do things a little different this year. Yes, the kids will get their presents. So thankful to family for helping us out with this! Even so we are still doing bare minimum and making a lot of the gifts ourselves (which I think is even better!)
To start things off, (I got this idea from a friend of mine) we had a FHE where we picked from a variety name tags with different names of our Savior . With each name is a scripture reference of where we can find that name. Each person picked the one they liked and we each took turns reading aloud the scripture and why we chose that name. It was fun to see all the different names for Christ!
Afterward, we placed them all over the main areas of the house where we could see them each day and draw our focus and attention on Him. I highly recommend doing this and see how the spirit touches your heart throughout the day as you find one. I plan to laminate these and use them as our decor each Christmas season.
12 Days of CHRISTmas
I have in each envelope a nativity figurine with a scripture reference and an activity our family can do that night to help us draw closer to Christ and each other.
I am very excited to do this countdown with the kids and hope it will be a positive experience for all of us. I plan to post each day what it is we do so you can get a glimpse of how it all goes.
On the 12th day, instead of waking up to a tree full of presents the kids will receive a letter from Santa of how sad he is that the hearts of the children are turned away from the true meaning of Christmas and that he wants their help to change this. (the picture of Santa kneeling at Jesus' manger will be in a frame and wrapped for the kids to open) We will have a service project planned out for them to do after breakfast and then head over to Hall's house where they will find all their gifts.
First we give, then we receive!
Perhaps it wont go as well as we hope for this first year, but I know with time the kids will grow and they will learn for themselves what Christmas is really about.
