Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Christmas Change

Have you been over to Christmas Change yet? Inspiring ideas! Good to have some encouragement to change Christmas, a longing I have had on my heart for a few years now. It's hard when you have grown up remembering Christmas as Santa and GIFTS. We'd actually use Christmas as a time to get all the stuff we wanted through out the year. Our family didn't have much money, but at Christmas time, that was THE time to get stuff, the only time mom or dad would get us the things we wanted (other than birthdays). Oh the joys, the dissappointments, the greed, the lust, the lack of tradition, purpose, meaning. Oh, it wasn't all bad. I have some fond memories outside of 'gift getting' but they are few. I don't want that for my kids. I want them to celebrate Jesus, their saviour. I want it to be a time for them to grow closer to God who humbled himself, and became flesh. I want them to 'give' of the love Jesus generously gives them each day.

My oldest daughter is now 3. The past few years we've never over did gifts or emphasized it, or asked her 'what do you want for Christmas?' But this year it just happened. We were in the toy department at Winners (I can probably count on my fingers the number of times she has been to a toy department, it's just not something we do) and she spotted it, a BIG, plastic, princess Dora, beautiful, chemical laden, wrapped in a big box, with her made in China side kick, an irresistible to any 3 year old girl, horse! If I was a mom who bought stuff like that, I would have been sneaking it to the till under my coat. Grace's eyes lit up, it was the perfect gift. And then she asked "Can I have that?" "Sorry sweetie, remember what we came to get?" I tried to refocus her on the task at hand, a gift for my nephew. "Maybe I'll get it for Christmas." She adds. WHAT?! How did she know you can ASK for things at Christmas? She's already associating Christmas with getting. Needless to say, we've had the Christmas story books out already! We've gotta get this kid back on track!

4 comments:

  1. Josiah has been saying that too!! Where did he learn that from??

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  2. Harley just confessed...he's the culprit. Hopefully we'll be on the same page now :)

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  3. ...oh Tammy! On Saturday morning Matthew came home from grocery shopping and the 1st thing I said to him was " I HATE SANTA"...I lived for santa as a kid...and now, I hate to say it, but my kids seem to be placing him higher up than Jesus right now! Matthijs was almost in tears saying that Santa is always watching him and thinking that he may not have been as good as he shouldve this year and so sad that he might not get toys!!!!
    I said very straight "SANTA doesnt see everything....who sees everything???" Ezra replied, "Jesus" I said thats right....Oh, Im about to cancel Santa over here...but I dont want it spoiling things for other kids...friends!
    What do I do???
    I loved this post Tammy....I needed it!
    Lisa

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