Christmas in my house is very different from the Christmas I had as a child. Yes my parents would provide us with a gift, and of course Santa never disappointed. We would spent the day with our parents and loved ones playing in our jammies and celebrating the season. However as I have come to experience, holidays in a blended family can be very different.
Our kids get two “Christmases” complete with double gifts, in addition to gifts from Grandparents, Step-grandparents and aunts and Uncles- on both sides. They open these gifts with limited amount of time to enjoy them before being chauffeured to the next location for another gift opening session. Very quickly the kids are up to their ears in gifts, and this isn’t just limited to Christmas, this applies to birthdays too. The worst part is…if you asked them what they got for Christmas last year they likely can’t remember half of it.
To offset this we have organically incorporated a number of different things into our Christmas traditions over the years, including a Gift Christmas Challenge – Want, Need, Wear & Read
THE Spirit of giving- its the thought that counts:
We encourage an emphasis on the spirit of giving through handmade gifts both for the children and ourselves. I often give out photos and photo related gifts, and Adrian often crafts up beautiful craftsman pieces. Last year Adrian handcrafted our oldest beautiful floating desk, and our middle Son received a beautiful handmade rubber band gun. Our hope being that the kids will one day understand that giving isn’t about the size or price tag, but in the thought and love put into these gifts.
Goodwill and giving back:
Over the last 8 years the kids help me purchase, and build stockings for the children of a local transition house, a cause that is near and dear to my heart. Over the last 8 years we have raised over 621 stockings. I want them to understand that Christmas is also about the spirit of giving, and about goodwill. There is no pat on the back, no reward. It’s not a tangible act providing instant validation….It’s completely anonymous.
Want, Need, Wear & Read:
Over the last several years and unbeknownst to the kids I have taken a different approach to the holidays shopping. They don’t have to be huge gifts, a calendar, socks, or something they have been pinning over. I have adopted a Want, Need, Wear & Read approach to Christmas.
- Something they want
- Something they need
- Something to wear
- Something to read
I set a reasonable budget (that we can afford) for each child. Depending on how much I spend in the other categories if I have a little money left over they will get a bonus gift in the “Want” category. If there “Want” is a big ticket item, they might get socks in the “Need” category.
In the words or the Grinch himself, “Maybe Christmas Doesn’t Come from a Store; Perhaps it Means a Bit More”….
I like to think of “Christmas” as something that is experienced through a series of actions, not one single event. It’s the quality time with loved ones, making memories and building a lifetime of traditions that keeps the spirit of Christmas alive in our hearts.
How do you keep the Spirit of the holidays alive, what are your traditions?
