Gimme-Gimme
Parents want to give their kids the world. We want to see their smiling faces on Christmas morning as they race into the livingroom, excited for their new toys. It’s a parenting win that morning when we can fulfill their every desire.
But it doesn’t last long.
Sometimes as early as December 26th, they lose interest, lose parts, get bored, and want more. It doesn’t take long in a world full of me-me-me and gimme-gimme.
We’re living in a material world and secular society isn’t helping by blasting the commercialization of Christmas everywhere you go. They see; they want. It’s a struggle to keep up with all the wants and explain why they can’t always have, especially if they’re used to always getting.
Maybe that’s the underlying cause? Do they always get what they want?
Less is More
What if we slow our role (as a society, I don’t know you personally) and start limiting presents a bit more? Imagine building value into those gifts, so that our kids don’t see them as momentary satisfaction but treasured tokens and they appreciate them more?
Seems impossible in this world, but in the shelter of our home, our beliefs, it’s possible.
We can teach our kids to value things more, appreciate what they have, and want less. It takes time, but here are a few ideas to help.
Donate
Remind you children of all they have and let them see that not every child has those blessings. Start cleaning out the closet, the toy box, the play room… Clean out whatever you can and help them sort into trash, recycle, and donation bins. (It’s important to not donate items you wouldn’t want to use yourself. The poor should receive decent things.) If possible, let them go shopping to buy some new things to donate. Remind them that children who don’t have much would love to receive a new toy or new clothes.
Volunteer
A great way to teach about the needs of others is to show it. If you have an opportunity for an age-appropriate volunteer service for your children, go for it! Lots of places will take help from kids though some have age restrictions. If you have teens, this is a great teaching tool. Take them to a soup kitchen, a shelter, a clothing place to sort items, or a food pantry. For smaller children, you might be limited to your local parish, but that’s okay. Many parishes have pantries for families in need and will welcome parents bringing their children to help sort and build care packages for those families.
Storytell
Read and talk about the story of the first Christmas. Mary and Joseph didn’t have it easy. They didn’t even have a place to stay when Jesus was born. Talk about their hardships with your children and how they trusted God and he took care of them. Use your nativity set to play out how it all happened. Emphasize that Jesus allowed the shepherds to visit him first and explain its significance. This is a great way to bring the true meaning of Christmas into the present day for kids.
Shop
Take them shopping, but this time it’s for them to give to others. Have them pick out something small for their family members, teachers, or neighbors. Some families can do this more abundantly than others. For those on a tight budget, think dollar store treats. Remember, we’re teaching them the thought of giving, not lavishly but lovingly. Give them a budget and help them sort out what they can afford with it. This is harder for some children but it works over time.
Prioritize
Go ahead and let them circle to their hearts content in those catalogues, then have them make a short list of what they really want. Have them pick their top three (or whatever works for your family) and prioritize their wish list. Remind them what it was like picking out items for others and how they had to budget. Also remind them that a gift doesn’t have to be handheld. They can receive experiences or moments or extra privileges (according to your household rules.)
A Valuable Christmas
Christ came not to lavish us with expensive gifts galore but to give us himself. If we teach our children the value of giving and the true meaning of Christmas, they’ll see it less as a time to get toys and more as a time to appreciate what they have.
It’s not easy in the world we live in, but it’s possible if we build our homes up in the way of Christ. Let’s focus on Jesus this season and give less, so our children can receive more.
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