where are we with christmas?

Boots and Bananas · Guru

RE: where are we with christmas?

Jennie · Guru

Uhm, we haven't even started. But money is super tight right now so that plays a large part. And we're last minute shoppers to begin with. Always have been. We're clueless shoppers too. LOL

But we're doing things differently this year. We want to take the focus off of Santa and getting presents and put the focus back on Jesus and the spirit of giving.

One of the many retired pastors in our congregation gives his children $100 before Christmas to give to a charity of their choice and then Christmas Day they share which charity they gave to.

What we're doing this year is the Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh gifts. In effect it is what Jesus got from the three kings with a twist. Gold is something they want. Frankincense is something religious- like a bible, etc. This year Colin's Frankincense will be a PlayMobil Nativity. And the Myrrh gift is something they need- like a coat, sheets, etc of that ilk.
And the stocking is from Santa filled with little goodies. So Colin's stocking will be filled with PlayMobil pirate people and knight people, some small Lego sets, the movie Up, and maybe a Wii game geared for him.

This takes the pressure off us financially and gift-wise to provide a huge Christmas year after year. I don't want them growing up thinking that Christmas is about getting but about giving. We also give to the Salvation Army and do the Angel Tree as well if money allows. This way Colin can begin to grasp the concept of giving to those less fortunate, etc.

CheleLyn · Senior Member

Jennie wrote:

Uhm, we haven't even started. But money is super tight right now so that plays a large part. And we're last minute shoppers to begin with. Always have been. We're clueless shoppers too. LOL

But we're doing things differently this year. We want to take the focus off of Santa and getting presents and put the focus back on Jesus and the spirit of giving.

One of the many retired pastors in our congregation gives his children $100 before Christmas to give to a charity of their choice and then Christmas Day they share which charity they gave to.

What we're doing this year is the Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh gifts. In effect it is what Jesus got from the three kings with a twist. Gold is something they want. Frankincense is something religious- like a bible, etc. This year Colin's Frankincense will be a PlayMobil Nativity. And the Myrrh gift is something they need- like a coat, sheets, etc of that ilk.
And the stocking is from Santa filled with little goodies. So Colin's stocking will be filled with PlayMobil pirate people and knight people, some small Lego sets, the movie Up, and maybe a Wii game geared for him.

This takes the pressure off us financially and gift-wise to provide a huge Christmas year after year. I don't want them growing up thinking that Christmas is about getting but about giving. We also give to the Salvation Army and do the Angel Tree as well if money allows. This way Colin can begin to grasp the concept of giving to those less fortunate, etc.

We've always done 3 gifts for xmas day...#1 if it was good enough for God, it's good enough for them, #2 it keeps the bar low--they know NOT to expect a bunch of crap they dont really want therefore their requested gift arethings they REALLY want. I used to do one thing NEEDED (like clothing of some sort), one thing EDUCATIONAL (any from a book to idk, whatever they could learn with---and play to learn counts), and then one thing they WANT. plus, a few years back we started a family name draw with a $10 limit to make them have to start thinking about someone other than themselves...and I keep the limit low so they have to put some thought into it and the person they are buying for.

PLUS they get their new jammies on xmas eve...but that doesnt count bc its actually more for me so they can get to open a gift early and have nice new jammies in xmas morning pics

Jennie · Guru

CheleLyn wrote:

Jennie wrote:

Uhm, we haven't even started. But money is super tight right now so that plays a large part. And we're last minute shoppers to begin with. Always have been. We're clueless shoppers too. LOL

But we're doing things differently this year. We want to take the focus off of Santa and getting presents and put the focus back on Jesus and the spirit of giving.

One of the many retired pastors in our congregation gives his children $100 before Christmas to give to a charity of their choice and then Christmas Day they share which charity they gave to.

What we're doing this year is the Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh gifts. In effect it is what Jesus got from the three kings with a twist. Gold is something they want. Frankincense is something religious- like a bible, etc. This year Colin's Frankincense will be a PlayMobil Nativity. And the Myrrh gift is something they need- like a coat, sheets, etc of that ilk.
And the stocking is from Santa filled with little goodies. So Colin's stocking will be filled with PlayMobil pirate people and knight people, some small Lego sets, the movie Up, and maybe a Wii game geared for him.

This takes the pressure off us financially and gift-wise to provide a huge Christmas year after year. I don't want them growing up thinking that Christmas is about getting but about giving. We also give to the Salvation Army and do the Angel Tree as well if money allows. This way Colin can begin to grasp the concept of giving to those less fortunate, etc.

We've always done 3 gifts for xmas day...#1 if it was good enough for God, it's good enough for them, #2 it keeps the bar low--they know NOT to expect a bunch of crap they dont really want therefore their requested gift arethings they REALLY want. I used to do one thing NEEDED (like clothing of some sort), one thing EDUCATIONAL (any from a book to idk, whatever they could learn with---and play to learn counts), and then one thing they WANT. plus, a few years back we started a family name draw with a $10 limit to make them have to start thinking about someone other than themselves...and I keep the limit low so they have to put some thought into it and the person they are buying for.

PLUS they get their new jammies on xmas eve...but that doesnt count bc its actually more for me so they can get to open a gift early and have nice new jammies in xmas morning pics

Sweet!

We've never done the XMas jammies. We might have to this year..Esecially since we were at Target tonight and I saw the cutest little baby girl jammies.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has done that or is doing that, etc etc etc. I don't want to be cheap but I think its important to take the focus off the presents and more on what the holiday truly is about.

Robin · Guru

Jennie wrote:

CheleLyn wrote:

Jennie wrote:

Uhm, we haven't even started. But money is super tight right now so that plays a large part. And we're last minute shoppers to begin with. Always have been. We're clueless shoppers too. LOL

But we're doing things differently this year. We want to take the focus off of Santa and getting presents and put the focus back on Jesus and the spirit of giving.

One of the many retired pastors in our congregation gives his children $100 before Christmas to give to a charity of their choice and then Christmas Day they share which charity they gave to.

What we're doing this year is the Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh gifts. In effect it is what Jesus got from the three kings with a twist. Gold is something they want. Frankincense is something religious- like a bible, etc. This year Colin's Frankincense will be a PlayMobil Nativity. And the Myrrh gift is something they need- like a coat, sheets, etc of that ilk.
And the stocking is from Santa filled with little goodies. So Colin's stocking will be filled with PlayMobil pirate people and knight people, some small Lego sets, the movie Up, and maybe a Wii game geared for him.

This takes the pressure off us financially and gift-wise to provide a huge Christmas year after year. I don't want them growing up thinking that Christmas is about getting but about giving. We also give to the Salvation Army and do the Angel Tree as well if money allows. This way Colin can begin to grasp the concept of giving to those less fortunate, etc.

We've always done 3 gifts for xmas day...#1 if it was good enough for God, it's good enough for them, #2 it keeps the bar low--they know NOT to expect a bunch of crap they dont really want therefore their requested gift arethings they REALLY want. I used to do one thing NEEDED (like clothing of some sort), one thing EDUCATIONAL (any from a book to idk, whatever they could learn with---and play to learn counts), and then one thing they WANT. plus, a few years back we started a family name draw with a $10 limit to make them have to start thinking about someone other than themselves...and I keep the limit low so they have to put some thought into it and the person they are buying for.

PLUS they get their new jammies on xmas eve...but that doesnt count bc its actually more for me so they can get to open a gift early and have nice new jammies in xmas morning pics

Sweet!

We've never done the XMas jammies. We might have to this year..Esecially since we were at Target tonight and I saw the cutest little baby girl jammies.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has done that or is doing that, etc etc etc. I don't want to be cheap but I think its important to take the focus off the presents and more on what the holiday truly is about.

We've always done 3 wrapped gifts--no particular theme--plus a larger item that Santa brings unwrapped. And stockings. We usually open the wrapped gifts during the day on Christmas Eve to help with the antsiness. Is that a word?

Unfortunately, this year I keep seeing MORE and MORE and MORE stuff that I know the kids would like. That 3 wrapped gifts rule may be going out the window. We'll see.

Boots and Bananas · Guru

Jennie wrote:

Uhm, we haven't even started. But money is super tight right now so that plays a large part. And we're last minute shoppers to begin with. Always have been. We're clueless shoppers too. LOL

But we're doing things differently this year. We want to take the focus off of Santa and getting presents and put the focus back on Jesus and the spirit of giving.

One of the many retired pastors in our congregation gives his children $100 before Christmas to give to a charity of their choice and then Christmas Day they share which charity they gave to.

What we're doing this year is the Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh gifts. In effect it is what Jesus got from the three kings with a twist. Gold is something they want. Frankincense is something religious- like a bible, etc. This year Colin's Frankincense will be a PlayMobil Nativity. And the Myrrh gift is something they need- like a coat, sheets, etc of that ilk.
And the stocking is from Santa filled with little goodies. So Colin's stocking will be filled with PlayMobil pirate people and knight people, some small Lego sets, the movie Up, and maybe a Wii game geared for him.

This takes the pressure off us financially and gift-wise to provide a huge Christmas year after year. I don't want them growing up thinking that Christmas is about getting but about giving. We also give to the Salvation Army and do the Angel Tree as well if money allows. This way Colin can begin to grasp the concept of giving to those less fortunate, etc.

This is such a good idea. I think I am going to go get a book about the real meaning of Christmas and go from there. We are not particularly religious but every kid should know about the spirit of giving.