Whoever said we have to go to the malls and spend a lot of money on Christmas gifts. Isn’t Christmas a time for giving? Giving what? The latest craze to hit the toy stores. The newest gadget on the market, or the latest style. Somewhere in modern day society the true meaning of Christmas was lost. . Now let’s look at how the Pioneers and Settlers celebrated Christmas. Christmas in that era was for the gathering of family and close friends either in town or somebody’s house. They read bible scriptures and told stories of the birth of Jesus and celebrated his birth with singing and worship. They might have prepared a traditional holiday meal if their resources allowed it. They exchanged handmade items of necessity that were made with real craftsmanship and pride. The kids got ragdolls or wooden toys, the parents got handmade tools or something crafted for the home. These times were hard and giving frivolous gifts was not only heard of but not expected.
Every year it’s the same thing, we write a Christmas list and we scour the local shopping centers to fulfill our Christmas giving obligations. Where is the true meaning of giving? Lets first look at the true definition of giving.
Give - verb, (used with object) 1. To present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; bestow: to give a present to someone.
In other words to give a gift without expecting something in return.
Now days most people buy gifts to reciprocate a gift that was given to them. This totally discredits the definition of giving. When you give something you’re not to expect something in return. After all, the tradition of Christmas giving originates from the
The three wise men bringing gifts to the newborn savior Jesus.
Is it not our duty to show our children how to give with a charitable heart and lead by example? Do we not as parents have the responsibility to teach our children to adapt to whatever life brings their way including hard economic times? After all we don’t know how long this recession will last or if it will get worse for that matter. Should they not get use to tough times as well as the good times? During this rescession and high unemployment, maybe we should adopt some of the practices of the Pioneers and give handmade gifts.
Is it such a bad idea to give someone a handmade gifts? I know when I get a handmade gift I appreciate more knowing the time spent making it. Handmade gifts shows thoughtfulness and imagination and has more meaning than a gift you can buy in any mall. Whether it’s because of the current economic crisis or you want to start practicing the true meaning of Christmas giving, handmade gifts is another option to consider.
Check out these handmade gift ideas and see instructions under Kris Kringle
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