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I started back with one word "why?" It was a time to give, like God had given. It was a time when people felt compelled to give freely and accept graciously. Every Christmas decoration and ornament was symbolic and celebrated in its’ own creation. The evergreen symbolized eternal life, the mistletoe-love, the lights - the light of Christ, red ribbons - the blood his spilt for us and on and on it went. The world celebrated openly the gift of eternal life. Father Christmas, Santa Claus, was the greatest symbol of all, he became a symbol of Christ, this man who gave and gave, never expecting anything in return, the true magic of Christmas. He called little children to his knees, as did Jesus Christ, gave them hope for things to come. Yes, the things! This part was the worst part of Christmas for me. So much stuff for kids to whine about, things they had to have.

I looked at myself. How was I promoting the wanting? Television was the biggest culprit. Children watching television, Saturday morning cartoons especially, had to be eliminated and so I did. We have always worked hard together as a family and we slipped in additional activities, to distract our square- eyed darlings. Donuts on a Saturday morning, incentives to get chores done by nine, promoting playing with what they had by taking it all away and having them "check-out" specific toys. This does two things, toys become "new" again and are better taken care of. When fads like Pokemon have come along, we don’t go and see the movie, we don’t buy the stuff, we explain to the children, and promote lively debate about the entrapments, marketing etc. Joseph is still crazy about Power Rangers and David about Star Wars, the girls about Barbies and so on but we have taught them that wanting needs to be held in check because wanting can complicate your life when you replace your needs with all those wants. Do children really understand this stuff, you bet they do. We realized that we couldn’t assume that they knew it, it had to be explained to them.

Special events, like Festival of Trees, an organization that accepts decorated trees, displaying them for sale and uses the raised money for charity, in our case a children’s hospital, is a great example. Walking through hundreds of beautifully decorated trees, dedicated to family members that have died, struggled with illness, and all sort of trials is humbling. As we read the stories together, as a sense of gratitude grows in each child’s heart. Each one understands that they have so much and so much to give.

Christmas is wonderful and exciting. The music is beautiful, the sounds are gentle and loving. The bell-ringers standing in the cold with their red buckets collecting money for the less fortunate, the shoppers excited about the perfect gift, the carolers singing, children laughing, it is all wonderful. Go where you feel good, fill your homes with sweet traditions, simple ones, ones that bring your family together and promote spending time together and the true Spirit of Christmas will creep into your heart, causing it to swell with love for the stranger and the downtrodden, the wealthy and the obnoxious and especially towards your family and the God we have to thank for so much.