Today’s activity is a beautiful opportunity to display Jesus as a family. By giving gifts to those who may not otherwise have anything to open on Christmas morning you are teaching a valuable life lesson that this holiday season (and our life in general) is about giving and sacrifice. Christmas is about so much more than wish lists and presents galore and instead it’s about looking out for the needs of others because ultimately, that is what Jesus did for us. He looked out for our need for a Savior and He met that need.
So today, find someone in need and minister to them. In the past we have done Operation Christmas Child which is an amazing ministry to share the Gospel message with children all over the world while giving them little goodies on Christmas day. (I took a look at their site and it seems to be that it is still not too late to participate in that organization. Check the website for details.) This year I took two ‘angels’ off an angel tree at our local YMCA. The ‘angels’ represent specific children in need in our local area listing their age and their Christmas wish list. I chose a 2 and a 5 year old so that my boys can participate in the gift buying. We have a little family date planned for this evening to buy the gifts for our little angels and then wrap them up!
Below are two additional organizations that collect gifts for children in need.
+ Angel Tree
+ Toys for Tots
A little note about this activity. Shopping for gifts with your little ones for someone else may be rather hard. I’m just going to be honest. Depending on their age they may just have a hard time understanding why they are picking out toys and presents for someone else. Be patient with them and don’t get frustrated at their apparent selfishness. Remember, this is a teaching opportunity to open their eyes to a world that is not just about themselves. Just keep lovingly reminding them that “there are little boys and girls who do not have mommies and daddies who can buy presents for them. So we want to make sure they will have presents on Christmas morning just like you will have presents on Christmas. How sad would you be if there were no presents under the tree?” This is a great opportunity to talk to them about Jesus and how he gave us the ultimate gift. I am pretty sure I repeated those statements about a hundred times last year when I did this with my oldest son, Andrew. He was so confused and honestly he was sad that I wasn’t buying presents for him. Be gracious with your little ones as you remember that it is primarily your job to teach them to look out for the needs of others. Being selfless does not come naturally and must be taught to their little hearts.
Today’s activity might very well become one of your favorites, because there really is so much joy in giving.
