First Gift of Christmas

This is a re-post of my guest post on Cheri’s blog.

So here goes…

She is such a wonderfully talented person. Did you know that this girl can sing? Like really sing? Has cds out? Yeah. I don’t have to tell you how crafty she is either. But…She is also sincere and kind. When she contacted me about focusing on Christ this Christmas I grew to respect her even more.

It is so hard not to get caught up in the excitement of Santa and reindeer, and seeing our kids’ faces on Christmas morning when they see the toys they have been dreaming of all year. I think that is a good thing.

But, I think it is a better thing to balance all of that out with the real reason we celebrate Christmas. To help our kids learn that even getting gifts is actually a symbol of Christ. His birth, life, and most importantly Atonement is the greatest gift that has ever been and will yet be given.

To help us remember this, we started the First Gift of Christmas tradition last year. Our box was not as pretty as this one because we decided to do it the night before, but this year I made a simple white paper-mache box with a red bow to last us through the years.

Inside there are envelopes with the year written in the corner.

And inside those envelopes are slips of paper where we write down our gifts.

Our gifts are things we will do for the Savior. For my children, I tell them it is gift we give baby Jesus. Something you will do that He would do or would want you to do.

We tuck the gifts away in the envelope and read ones from years past. I am really excited to read what we wrote last year. I really really wanted to peek but I was good. Promise. :)

Reading past gifts can help us bond as a family as we draw closer to the Savior together.

*This is one of our nativity sets with our porcelain family figurines set around Baby Jesus. This another little tradition we have to help us remember Christ.

Of course this is just how we have chosen to do it but…This is all done at the top of our stairs before we go down to see the tree. No one is allowed downstairs when they wake up. We meet at the top where our First Gift box is placed. We sing a Christmas hymn, say a prayer, give our “gifts” to Jesus and after all that is done, we then go downstairs and still have the giddy Christmas gifting fun around the tree.

My kids were still hyper and super excited last year…and I’ll admit so were we…but the morning was cast with a warmer, more loving, more thankful feeling.

It is a simple thing to pause and remember Christ first, but really makes the holiday mean more and can make a lasting impression on our children.

Thank you Cheri for letting me stop by!

Merry Christmas!