Maybe Christmas Doesn't Come From A Store...

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
-The Grinch

Long Post Ahead: This is just really on my mind this year as Brady grows older and a way to document my thoughts and hopefully look back on someday.

I have really struggled with what to do with Christmas this year.(This is not just a Christmas issue, but an all year long issue, but seems to just be worse at Christmas, especially with birthday just 2 days before Christmas.) He has so.much.stuff.  I routinely get rid of and clean out his room, but still there is just so much stuff. He is also about to be 3 in a little over a week and is definitely full of attitude and tantrums. (He really just started this regularly over the past month or so.)

Last year, for 2 weeks solid Brady opened at least one gift a day between parties, Christmas, and his birthday. He was just 2, but all that spoiling affected his attitude for a week or so a little. I am afraid another year older and able to comprehend more, it could be worse. Similar to when kids stay with grandparents, the rules have to be taught all over again for a couple days.

Brady is a smart little guy. He understands a lot. We try to explain things to him in an age appropriate way as best we can and look for cues to see he understands. It is amazing what he understands and can comprehend at this young.

This gets me thinking with Christmas upon us, how do I teach gratitude and appreciation to a child who is bombarded with toys, clothes, gifts, and stuff for weeks and doesn't need anything? After thinking about this, I realized I often fail at this very thing. Instead of being thankful for shelter, I complain of the size of my home. Instead of appreciating the small amount of money in my bank account, I complain of what is not in it. Instead of just being grateful for the modern conveniences I have, I dream of Ipads, smart phones, stainless steel appliances, etc. etc. I could go on and on.

I want more for Brady, but not the way most people do, I think. I want him to love Christ with all his heart. I want him to be content in everything he is given whether in life, love, or stuff. I want him to have a love for others and helping meet their needs. I want him to be holy. My desires have nothing to do with stuff.

My fear, especially during this time of year, is that I am sending a completely different desire for him. One filled with stuff and the desire to please oneself instead of others. 

We are loved as a family. We have tons and tons of friends, family, and church family that love us and love us well, beyond what I could ever ask for. It is amazing! A challenge that comes with that, though, is whatever Caleb and I can't or chose not to provide for Brady, someone else can and will, sometimes in excess. It is comforting to know that so many love and care for us and if we ever needed, truly needed anything we have so many places we could turn. It is the not needed stuff that causes my concern. I don't want Brady to take this abundance of love fore granted. I don't want him to come to expect and turn his focus on stuff. 

I love Christmas! I am a gift-giver. It is my love language. I love the lights, the giving, the sharing, the family togetherness, the joy, the coziness of the home on cold nights, the way communities and churches unite for good. I love it! I love it all! I want Brady to love it as well. I want him to have fun and enjoy the Christmas holidays, but I don't want him to lose sight of the other things I mentioned before.

Brady is only 3, but has already started counting his gifts under the tree. No one taught him this, he just did it one day, like the first day his presents showed up under the tree. I love his sweet voice when he shouts out the number, but I am also concerned that he will begin to expect instead of be grateful for each and every gift. 

So, what am I going to do about it?

Good Question.

The answer is still twisting around in my little brain, but I have a few ideas.

1st and foremost, I am praying about this. A LOT! 

2: I am letting Brady get most family members a gift for Christmas. He helps pick it out and/or helps wrap it.  FYI: Most of these things are not large or expensive gifts.

This has helped tremendously! He likes to choose the gift and he likes to tell me to write his name in the From section. Then he likes to tell Caleb who the gift is from and that it is from Brady.

3: Our church group always does an angel tree type party for different people in need. Brady helped me pick the gifts this year and wrap them. I am planning to bring him to the party this year, I think. I am not sure how he will do. We shall see. 

4: I am planning to let Brady help me bake some Christmas goodies and let him help me deliver them. Caleb and I did this before we had Brady, but with work, a kid, and his Christmas birthday,  I have failed at doing it since. I have no excuse this year and Brady needs to do this.

5: This is simple. When we leave a store, I have him put money in the salvation army bucket. I try to explain it in simple language. He does well with this. Again, very simple. 

6:  we asked for several practical things for Brady this year instead of all toys or clothes and we limited how much we spent on Brady this year as well. (We are cautious about how much we spend and what we get him every year, this hasn't changed.) We will see if we get any practical items, but it is worth a try. Right?

7: As a family, we read the Bible daily and talk about Jesus all year long. We do try to teach why we have Christmas and the purpose, but we try to teach, read, and talk about Jesus all year long . We have a Christmas Veggie Tales that explains, St. Nick and where Santa came from, Caleb and I really like. It shows that even Santa wasn't all about getting and getting, but about giving. Brady watches it all year as well, because he likes it. 

How do you balance the holidays and teaching your children at the same time?

If you made it this far, Thanks for reading!!
This is just for me so that one day, I can look back and see if I succeeded or not. :)