Most Christmas gifts are eagerly received, but soon forgotten. Want to choose gifts that will still be around long after Christmas has come and gone?
Christmas gifts occupy a large part of our thoughts as well as use up a large part of our income for the whole month of December every year. Sometimes, even before December 1st rolls around, the toy catalogs have started to show up in the mail and every major department store is busy rolling out their gift stock to attract this year's customers.
Unfortunately, a large majority of the gifts that are eagerly unwrapped on Christmas day, especially those aimed at children, have lost their appeal in a week or two and the excitement that filled the weeks before Christmas has been forgotten.
Wouldn't it be nice this year, to give Christmas gifts that would be enjoyed and appreciated all year long? Gifts that aren't quite so trendy, but gifts that could help your children learn that there are more worthwhile things in life than just making sure everyone gets everything on his or her Christmas list?
Here's how you can make that happen.
Because of what they observe in the stores and on television, too many modern kids have the idea that "getting everything they want" is what Christmas is all about. If that is happening in your family, it's time to gather the whole clan around and have a discussion about Christmas and why we celebrate it. If you are a Christian, you have probably already had similar discussions, but it never hurts to reinforce previous teaching, but, even if your family isn't much into the religious side of Christmas, this upcoming holiday season is a great time to emphasize "giving" over "getting."
Use this meeting to suggest that your family try something a bit different this year. Instead of a plethora of gifts under the tree, how about one or two per child and then using the money saved to do things like:
1. Inviting a less fortunate family or person to share a meal at least once a month.
The meal doesn't have to be a feast. Something as simple as a serve-yourself-buffet of chili, hot dogs, and a plate of veggies and cheese sticks would be great. Board games following the meal could result in lasting friendships being formed.
2. Purchasing gifts for children at the local family shelter, not just for Christmas but all year round.
Some of these kids have been homeless for months and have very little beyond the clothes they are wearing. Socks, underclothes, and warm jackets as well as small toys and books are always welcomed.
3. "Adopting" an elderly person in a rest home or even your own neighborhood to visit once a week.
Find out when their birthday is and bring them a gift on that day. If the kids are small, have them color pictures to take to them. Many elderly people go for months without a single visitor. Knowing someone cares enough about them to visit them regularly, can make a huge difference in their lives.
4. Choosing a "special" project such as raising funds to dig a well in a country where water is scarce.
Contribute to it all year or until you have enough money to send to the cause. If possible, correspond with people in the area and post pictures somewhere in your home to remind your kids that these are real people they are helping.
5. Having a "fun" day at the mall and inviting 2 or 3 kids who don't ordinarily get to take part in things like this.
The "fun" day could include a movie with popcorn for each child, or be more elaborate such as a huge pizza feed at the food court followed by token to play video games at Tilt or Chuck-E-Cheese. If this is a little over your budget, try a home party where you pop your own popcorn and serve home made hot chocolate.
6. Picking out some "I Can Read" type books at the local bookstore to give to slow or non-readers at a local school or homeless shelter.
Some of these kids are just slow readers and others have been shuffled from school to school with very little chance to learn to read. A brand new book for their very own is a great encourager.
The above ideas are just a start. The point is to get the idea we started with across to our kids. The idea that "Giving," not "Getting" is what Christmas is all about. Once they try it and discover the lasting satisfaction involved in giving, they are going to come up with more ideas than you can imagine, so be prepared.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Saturday
Where Did The Real Christmas Go?
As I look about me and see the frenzy that surrounds the Christmas season, 2008, I want to climb up on my soapbox in the middle of it all and scream at the top of my lungs, "Where did the real Christmas go?"
Not that my crying out would change anything. The roar of the crowds as they push and shove to make sure they are first in line for whatever it is they are buying would drown me out no matter how loud I cried.
I read recently that the average American would probably spend $750 on Christmas this year, and that although fewer were putting their purchases on credit cards, many still insisted that credit was their only way of financing Christmas. That was $750 per person, not per family. I am stunned.
An online news item said that hard up Brits are also worried about Christmas, and many plan to take out low-rate personal loans to finance the 600 pounds each person is expected to spend.
Everywhere you look, advice abounds on how to get into the Christmas Spirit. We are told to pamper ourselves, to play upbeat Christmas music, to dress in bright cheery colors, to get a new hair-do, to bake cookies, and to watch Christmas movies.
Friends tell us that they have overspent on presents; that they are worn-out putting up decorations and preparing things for their big family dinner on Christmas day; that they love Christmas because of the free booze at the office Christmas party; or that their kids can't keep their mind on their studies, because they are so excited about what their gifts are going to be.
At church, I see lonely widows, too proud to admit they will be alone on Christmas, and families too wrapped up in planning their own celebration to notice.
I see neighbors too busy writing Christmas cards and mailing gifts to sit down for a cup of coffee, or even to stop and chat for a moment or two.
I see rude people in the stores cutting into lines ahead of other tired people, and over-worked clerks struggling to keep a smile on their faces as they try to keep up with customers and a horde of crying, bickering children.
Is this what Christmas has come to mean? If so, I think, sadly, that we have entirely missed the point.
Christmas is for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who came to seek and save those who were, and are, lost. This same Jesus, was given by God as a free gift to mankind. Never, in the history of the world, has such a wonderful gift ever been given before, and never, in the history of the world, will such a precious gift ever be given again.
How then, did we become a people who mostly ignore the best gift of all to engage in the frenzy of the Christmas season that I mentioned earlier?
Maybe our society has already reached the point of no return, but, if you call yourself a Christian, why not make this particular Christmas the day that your family decides to start rejecting the mockery it has become, and once again embrace the truth of what Christmas is all about?
Wednesday
Are You Feeling Financially Squeezed By Christmas This Year?
Is money for Christmas gifts more than a little scarce at your house this year? If so, you are definitely not alone. Thousands upon thousands of parents are wondering whether or not they will be able to afford even one of the items on their kids’ ambitious Christmas “want” lists let alone the whole bunch.
As a parent, I know how hard it is to go from being able to get a number of gifts for each child to a year when I wasn’t sure I could give them even one. If you are in that spot right now, there are a number of things you can do.
First of all, let the kids in on the news that times are tough. Don’t be afraid to tell them that money is harder to come by this year, and that they need to lower their expectations a bit.. It might even be a good time to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas, and how sad it is that Christmas has come to the point where many people only think of it as a time for getting lots of gifts for themselves. Kids are pretty resilient and will come through with flying colors when they understand there is a real need for it.
Do tell them that you will try to see that they each have one nice gift under the tree, and try very hard to do that if it is at all possible.
To fill in after that, how about taking stock of what you already have around the house.
If you mothers are like me, you probably have stacks of unused yardage in your sewing area. How about making an imaginative pillow cover or some new drapes for the kids’ rooms? Even small scraps of yardage can be used to make new clothes for Barbie, or other types of dolls kids already own. Both boys and girls might appreciate a lap quilt for watching TV, or a batch of their favorite cookies packed into a unique but inexpensive container picked up at the Dollar Store. For that matter, use some of that unused yardage to cover a paper box to make a container for the cookies, and save your dollar.
Try digging around in their closets; you will be surprised at what turns up. Toys with dead batteries will seem like new after you replace the batteries and shine the toy up a bit.
Toys that the kids once loved before they became unusable can usually be repaired. The other day I read about a book on how to repair an Xbox 360 in less than an hour or your money back. I couldn’t help wondering how many inactive Xboxes are gathering dust on some kid’s closet shelf when they could be repaired and give their owners many more hours of pleasure. (If your kid is one of those people, here is a link where you can find out how to get that repair book for yourself— Click Here! and it’s downloadable, so you would have plenty of time to get it done before Christmas.)
If you do have just a little cash to spare, try spending it on craft materials instead of on individual gifts. This could result in great memory-making moments as the whole family gathers around to work on crafts as a group.
When there are older children as well as very small ones, getting the older ones to help make gifts for the younger ones is a great activity. (Actually that could work in reverse, also if you choose easier crafts and let the younger ones make gifts for the older ones.) Use Google online to find free craft ideas for making gifts out of items found around the house. Here’s just one to help get you started: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/christmas/index.shtml#kids
A trip to the dollar store can make a great gift and not cost a lot. I’ll admit that older children might not be thrilled with a trip to the dollar store, but most kids under ten will love it if you give them even as little as one or two dollars and then make a special trip for them to spend their money at the dollar store. Most of them will consider dozens of items before finally making their purchases so be prepared to spend considerable time in the store.
There are hundreds of other things you could do or give to your kids that won’t take a lot of cash. The important thing is to let them know ahead of time that there won’t be as much money as usual to spend this Christmas so they will have time to get used to the idea ahead of time. They might even surprise you and come up with some excellent suggestions of their own.
As a parent, I know how hard it is to go from being able to get a number of gifts for each child to a year when I wasn’t sure I could give them even one. If you are in that spot right now, there are a number of things you can do.
First of all, let the kids in on the news that times are tough. Don’t be afraid to tell them that money is harder to come by this year, and that they need to lower their expectations a bit.. It might even be a good time to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas, and how sad it is that Christmas has come to the point where many people only think of it as a time for getting lots of gifts for themselves. Kids are pretty resilient and will come through with flying colors when they understand there is a real need for it.
Do tell them that you will try to see that they each have one nice gift under the tree, and try very hard to do that if it is at all possible.
To fill in after that, how about taking stock of what you already have around the house.
If you mothers are like me, you probably have stacks of unused yardage in your sewing area. How about making an imaginative pillow cover or some new drapes for the kids’ rooms? Even small scraps of yardage can be used to make new clothes for Barbie, or other types of dolls kids already own. Both boys and girls might appreciate a lap quilt for watching TV, or a batch of their favorite cookies packed into a unique but inexpensive container picked up at the Dollar Store. For that matter, use some of that unused yardage to cover a paper box to make a container for the cookies, and save your dollar.
Try digging around in their closets; you will be surprised at what turns up. Toys with dead batteries will seem like new after you replace the batteries and shine the toy up a bit.
Toys that the kids once loved before they became unusable can usually be repaired. The other day I read about a book on how to repair an Xbox 360 in less than an hour or your money back. I couldn’t help wondering how many inactive Xboxes are gathering dust on some kid’s closet shelf when they could be repaired and give their owners many more hours of pleasure. (If your kid is one of those people, here is a link where you can find out how to get that repair book for yourself— Click Here! and it’s downloadable, so you would have plenty of time to get it done before Christmas.)
If you do have just a little cash to spare, try spending it on craft materials instead of on individual gifts. This could result in great memory-making moments as the whole family gathers around to work on crafts as a group.
When there are older children as well as very small ones, getting the older ones to help make gifts for the younger ones is a great activity. (Actually that could work in reverse, also if you choose easier crafts and let the younger ones make gifts for the older ones.) Use Google online to find free craft ideas for making gifts out of items found around the house. Here’s just one to help get you started: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/christmas/index.shtml#kids
A trip to the dollar store can make a great gift and not cost a lot. I’ll admit that older children might not be thrilled with a trip to the dollar store, but most kids under ten will love it if you give them even as little as one or two dollars and then make a special trip for them to spend their money at the dollar store. Most of them will consider dozens of items before finally making their purchases so be prepared to spend considerable time in the store.
There are hundreds of other things you could do or give to your kids that won’t take a lot of cash. The important thing is to let them know ahead of time that there won’t be as much money as usual to spend this Christmas so they will have time to get used to the idea ahead of time. They might even surprise you and come up with some excellent suggestions of their own.
Friday
The Middle of November? Already?
Yesterday, I was unpleasantly shocked into reality when I opened my "To Do" list for next week. "Start working on Christmas Cards?" It couldn't be......could it?
I glanced at the calendar. Yep, it was already the 14th of November. Not only time to start working on Christmas Cards, but also time to send off a check to pay our real estate taxes, time to call the roof man who removes the moss from our roof every November, and time to head for the mall to start purchasing gifts for those on my already pared down Christmas list for this year.
I have decided to buy only useful gifts this year. No more stuffed gorillas singing "Jingle Bell Rock," or "Hello Kitty" pillows that survive the rough-housing of two pre-schoolers for less than a week. From now on, useful gifts--that's my motto.
Then I began to wonder, why go to the mall at all? Why not see how much of my list I can mark off without ever leaving the house.
1. Two people, my stepson and my sister-in-law, have both commented on my really retro bike speedometer. I love it, and can order one for each of them online. Best of all, even with shipping, I should be able to keep close to my $15 per person limit if I choose that gift. The stepson thinks they are cool, and my sister-in-law will not only be able to clock her own speed and mileage, but she will quit coveting my own personal speedometer. (Yes, I have pointed out that covetousness is a sin, but she has, so far, ignored me on that topic.) This gift definitely qualifies as useful.
2. The baby of the family--actually my granddaughter--has practically turned handsprings to get me to notice the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle whenever an ad for it appears on TV.So far, I have convinced her that Grandma and Grandpa don't have that much money, but maybe, just maybe, we could get the other set of grandparents to go halves with us.
Since we are constantly being told how American children are doomed to obesity by age 8, because they don't get enough excercise, this little bike/toy certainly fits the goal of usefulness. Because the game that comes with it is powered by the child pedaling the bike, it is guaranteed to send excess calories running for their lives. How useful is that?
3. Of everyone on my list, my husband is probably the one that will be most appreciative of something "useful." His idea of a birthday gift for me is new gloves, pj's, coat, frying pan, or anything else he knows I am already planning to buy for myself. Turn about is fair play, I always say, and we both like gifts that last more than a day or two past Christmas, so I think several gift certificates for oil changes, car washes, or even a tune-up for his car would please him. I could pick that up on my next trip to town.
4. For others on my list who might be offended by something they consider useful, my own personal favorite is an Amaryllis Bulb or two. (They won't even realize it is useful.) A bright colored Amaryllis is, to my way of thinking, the ultimate gift that keeps on giving.
The recipient simply adds a bit of water after they open the gift and then sit back to watch in amazement as this plant literally grows an inch or more a day. Several weeks after Christmas, its gorgeous blossoms spread wide, and the owner will be truly awed.
The usefulness of this secret weapon is that it almost always eliminates or at least reduces post-Christmas, mid-winter blues in the household where it resides. (You might want to grab one or more for yourself this Christmas.)
If you've been bitten by the "Useful Gifts" bug like I have, why not save yourself some time, some money, and some gasoline, and some frustration, and order your gifts online. When your friends complain about the hassle of Christmas shopping, you can be mean and tell them you are all done, or you can let it remain your own little secret.
I glanced at the calendar. Yep, it was already the 14th of November. Not only time to start working on Christmas Cards, but also time to send off a check to pay our real estate taxes, time to call the roof man who removes the moss from our roof every November, and time to head for the mall to start purchasing gifts for those on my already pared down Christmas list for this year.
I have decided to buy only useful gifts this year. No more stuffed gorillas singing "Jingle Bell Rock," or "Hello Kitty" pillows that survive the rough-housing of two pre-schoolers for less than a week. From now on, useful gifts--that's my motto.
Then I began to wonder, why go to the mall at all? Why not see how much of my list I can mark off without ever leaving the house.
1. Two people, my stepson and my sister-in-law, have both commented on my really retro bike speedometer. I love it, and can order one for each of them online. Best of all, even with shipping, I should be able to keep close to my $15 per person limit if I choose that gift. The stepson thinks they are cool, and my sister-in-law will not only be able to clock her own speed and mileage, but she will quit coveting my own personal speedometer. (Yes, I have pointed out that covetousness is a sin, but she has, so far, ignored me on that topic.) This gift definitely qualifies as useful.
2. The baby of the family--actually my granddaughter--has practically turned handsprings to get me to notice the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle whenever an ad for it appears on TV.So far, I have convinced her that Grandma and Grandpa don't have that much money, but maybe, just maybe, we could get the other set of grandparents to go halves with us.
Since we are constantly being told how American children are doomed to obesity by age 8, because they don't get enough excercise, this little bike/toy certainly fits the goal of usefulness. Because the game that comes with it is powered by the child pedaling the bike, it is guaranteed to send excess calories running for their lives. How useful is that?
3. Of everyone on my list, my husband is probably the one that will be most appreciative of something "useful." His idea of a birthday gift for me is new gloves, pj's, coat, frying pan, or anything else he knows I am already planning to buy for myself. Turn about is fair play, I always say, and we both like gifts that last more than a day or two past Christmas, so I think several gift certificates for oil changes, car washes, or even a tune-up for his car would please him. I could pick that up on my next trip to town.
4. For others on my list who might be offended by something they consider useful, my own personal favorite is an Amaryllis Bulb or two. (They won't even realize it is useful.) A bright colored Amaryllis is, to my way of thinking, the ultimate gift that keeps on giving.
The recipient simply adds a bit of water after they open the gift and then sit back to watch in amazement as this plant literally grows an inch or more a day. Several weeks after Christmas, its gorgeous blossoms spread wide, and the owner will be truly awed.
The usefulness of this secret weapon is that it almost always eliminates or at least reduces post-Christmas, mid-winter blues in the household where it resides. (You might want to grab one or more for yourself this Christmas.)
If you've been bitten by the "Useful Gifts" bug like I have, why not save yourself some time, some money, and some gasoline, and some frustration, and order your gifts online. When your friends complain about the hassle of Christmas shopping, you can be mean and tell them you are all done, or you can let it remain your own little secret.
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