This year is the start of something new for us.

Though it’s been in practice for some for many years, we never took part in it because 1) we didn’t have a kid and 2) we just didn’t do it for ourselves. I’m not sure what it’s called, but I’m calling it the 3-Gift Christmas. The principle behind it is that children receive three gifts, just as Jesus received from the wise men (granted, He was a toddler by the time they found Him, and it may not have been on His birthday that He received them, but they were given in celebration of His birth, so… you get the idea). Here’s an explanation from another blogger:

*“Every Christmas our five children receive three gifts: one “gold” gift, the big item they are longing for; one “myrrh” gift, which is for their body, such as clothing; and one “frankincense” gift, for their spiritual growth.

My sister in law did this with her son, and we have chosen to start this year with BabyK. Granted, he won’t know much about it, so we’re not going “all-out”. Just the basics – a big toy, spoons & mess-catching bibs (since we’re introducing food), and books. I’m sure our other family members will be giving other things, so it actually helps cut down on all the over-load.

I can remember counting gifts each year to see “who got more” than the other. I remember the count being “9″ one year, and that was just the ones from Santa. By the end of the day, my entire bed would be covered in stuff. Being a kid, you don’t think much about things like poverty and not having the ability to give, you sort of think of “Look at all the stuff I got!” or the lack thereof. Well, I’m hoping that by doing this, we can help teach BabyK that gifts are nice, but they aren’t the center of what Christmas is about.

And, since it is so close to Christmas, I am going to be taking some time off from the online world to focus on family. This year has taught me a lot about the importance of being there for those whom you love and trust, and to not take any chance you have to spend time with them for granted.

So, Merry Christmas to you guys – my “other” family. I hope you have a wonderful, safe, and joyous Holiday.

www.simplesharebuttons.comShare this!01000