Christmas Eve

My blog is being scraped again.  If you are reading this on a website other than www.crazyhomedaze.blogspot.com you are reading a stolen copy of my content.

On Christmas Eve it is so easy to get caught up in the hype of the 'holiday'.  It is all around us as we go shopping, watch t.v., read magazines; basically anywhere we look.  The hype being that you have to buy stuff and give stuff to be happy.  Christmas has become about giving gifts.  The message that the kids can only be happy if you buy them the latest electronic gadget is prevalent and maddening.

Christmas is NOT about giving or getting the latest 'gotta have' item from the store.  It is not about buying so many gifts that there is no more room under the tree and you go into debt because of it. 

There is only one Gift that was ever needed on Christmas and that was given freely by God Himself.  Christ was born in human flesh and lived as a man so that we would have a way to God through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  That is only gift needed at Christmas.

Am I saying that we don't buy presents for our children?  No, I'm not.  But we don't give them more than two or three presents at the most and those are small, non-expensive gifts.  We want the focus to be on God and family not on the presents under the tree.  That is why a nail is the very first ornament we put on the tree-reminding us of Jesus and His sacrifice.  Our children know that we don't buy ipods, phones, etc for Christmas.  Well okay, we don't buy those things for them anyway but especially at Christmas! lol

If you ask our kids what they got for Christmas don't be surprised to hear bedding or a suitcase or a toy of some kind.  They don't feel bad because they didn't get a new gaming system, they know they don't need it to be happy.  Sometimes in fact, we do a completely homemade Christmas exchange and they are just as happy with that as a store bought gift. 

Simplicity is a lovely thing.  Bringing up your children to value God and family more than things is invaluable. 

Now I'm not saying that people that buy their kids the things I have mentioned are bad or are doing something wrong.  This is just how and why we do things.  So tonight my kiddos will be opening pajamas (our tradition) and tomorrow they will open simple gifts that were bought with love for each one.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and you remember the blessings that God has bestowed upon your family.  Take a moment to talk about the blessings with your family so they can remember them as well.