Gift Day 2010

This year we have been working very hard with
both Katrina and Samuel on the idea that
Christmas is about Jesus.
Katrina knows that we celebrate Jesus' birthday at Christmas
and we have talked about her birthday and who gets gifts on her birthday.
Then we discuss that Christmas is Jesus' birthday and
who should get gifts on His birthday.

A few years ago a good friend shared a neat idea she did with her family
as she grew up.
It was called Gift Day.
One day during the month of December was designated as Gift Day.
The children did not know when Gift Day was during the month.
On Gift Day the family would exchange gifts.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were set aside to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

The idea really resonated with us.
This year more than ever we yearn to marvel at Christmas and
we believe that Gift Day was a great fit for where our family is right now.

So, yesterday, we celebrated gift day.
Last year we decided that we would give each of our children three gifts.
It helped put a boundary on what can be an overwhelming and obsessing task.
So, after Pancho and the kids arrived home from the airport
(they took our Venezuelan visitor there)
we sat them down on the sofa and explained the "rules" for Gift Day 2010.
I had hid the gifts in strategic places throughout the house and I gave them one clue
to find their first gift.

They ran upstairs and retrieved their gift.
They brought them down with huge smiles!
They opened the first gift with enthusiasm and actually were mesmerized by the
gifts until we mentioned there was another gift hiding.
It was such a blessing for them to be thankful for each individual gift.

After opening their three gifts they played for hours with them.

We by no means think this is the right way to celebrate Christmas
as Jesus' birthday and yet for our family it was the right way this year.
What are you doing to celebrate Jesus' birthday?
Remember, there'd never be a Christmas without Jesus.