Spread Out the Christmas Gifts for Kids
Extend the Joy of Giving to More than One Day During the Holidays
Sep 23, 2009
Special gifts, especially clothing and educational games or books, are often not appreciated amid a stack of toys. Consider spreading out the gift opening to other special days related to the season.
Advent Sunday Gifts
Each Sunday of advent can be a great opportunity to give a gift. On the first Sunday of advent the candle lit is the prophesy candle. That’s a great time to open new books and DVDs about the Christmas story.
The second week the candle lit is the Bethlehem candle. Bethlehem means House of Bread, so give gifts of food or cooking toys. Or give decorations for the home or a child's bedroom. This is also an opportunity to collect canned food for a food bank.
Week three starts with the Shepherd candle. Connect the woolly sheep to warm clothes, especially sweaters and socks and give those gifts that week. Then the Holiday clothes can be worn throughout the season. Take time this week to gather outgrown clothes to give to the poor.
The forth candle is the angel candle. The angels sang on the first Christmas so consider giving a musical CD, instrument, or concert ticket.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve commemorates Mary and Joseph’s travel to the Inn. Connect that idea to opening gifts that traveled to your home from relatives. Look at photos of the givers before opening those presents. Let phone calls be part of the celebration. Call family and friends who live far away and let children phone friends who moved away.
Christmas Day
Open the Christmas stockings and a few special presents. This may be the time for gifts a child has clamored and hoped for all during advent. It's also time to let children give gifts to parents. Focus on really enjoying those gifts and playing with them or photographing children with the gifts.
New Year’s Day
A time of new beginnings is a great time to give something new for body, soul, and mind. A new Bible, book, educational game, and new hugs are great to open on this day.
Little Christmas of Three King’s Day
The wise men gave three gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Give money, gold jewelry, or a gift card for the gold, and scented soaps, shoe fresheners, or other fragrant gift for the frankincense. For myrrh, anointing oil that symbolized royalty, consider a gift of blessing each child and praying over him or her. Or give a book about prayer. As myrrh and frankincense are both resins from tree sap a gift of a new tree for the yard or something else made from tree sap, like maple syrup, would also reflect the gifts given to Christ that day.
Spacing out opening gifts that might all be given one day can lessen stress and make the whole season more merry and memorable for little ones. This can be a new tradition. It helps a family focus on various aspects of the Christmas story. With each time of opening presents talk about the special day and read related Scriptures.Also use each gift opening as an opportunity to chat about giving to Jesus and how to give to others, especially the poor.
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