I think maybe Santa Baby has more things on his mind rather than just filling up each house with a heap of toys. Or at least he should. When did Christmas become so focused on getting?
We can’t let commercialism eat Christmas. Showing the next generation what’s really important – family, time with your loved ones, helping those who are in need, health and happiness – means making more of an effort than whipping out the ol’ plastic, but effort means something too. Christmas should MEAN something. As parents, we have to teach them what it means to give, and how one can gain from that. How do we get kids to focus on the important things during the holiday season?
I so don’t have the answer. I’ve been looking around, trying to see if there is a magic formula. I don’t think there is, though. I think what’s important is to show kids what is important. Take the time, figure out what’s important to you, take the time to know what you want your kids to see. To learn. This is important.
We focus on family. We focus on who might be in need. Okay, we don’t go to the shelters or soup kitchens. We learn what’s needed, though, and donate. More importantly, though, we spend time together enjoying holiday things, without spending money.
One of our favorite activities to do is to pick an evening, hop in the car, give the kids a candy cane each (set the mood, right?) and with the carols on the radio, head out and admire some holiday lights. There are some amazing decorations out there. Amazing.
We decorate our own house and yard. We involve the kids, even though they are going to bunch all of the decorations on one branch or make their paper wreaths orange and purple. You know what? Your house is not going to look like Martha Stewart decked it, but that really doesn’t matter. What matters most is that you do it together.
Another favorite tradition is our Christmas mussels. Yes, mussels. This started after my youngest was born, and we were in Singapore, wandering around the day after Christmas. A wide range of dining options and what do we pick? Mussels. And they really hit the spot. So we decided that we would stick to this, no matter where in the world we are.
I think it’s important to teach kids to give of themselves. The earlier they start with this practice, the more it will be a part of their lives. They need to learn to see others’ needs, and that generosity of spirit is a good thing. Doing things for others as a family – be it help with a food or clothing drive, or help with a shelter, or sponsoring a family – can teach a valuable lesson. Kids learn that even one person can make a difference; they learn a heart-felt appreciation for what all they have; and they learn an appreciation and tolerance for people of all walks of life. And you know, it doesn’t have to be helping other people; you can help animals in need, too. Volunteering time at a shelter can be a very rewarding experience.
One last tradition we hold is making a box of goodies for all of our dearest friends. We pick 5 or 6 holiday treats, and start mixing them up. One year we made homemade chocolate mix (complete with a bag of marshmallows), but the mix often includes a couple kinds of brittle, chocolate almonds and some saltine toffee. Packaging counts, so we take the time to make it all look nice. Then we play Santa. The kids love this part. Spreading holiday treats is the most fun. We love this: we’ve invested time and effort into these gifts to show these friends how much we value them.
This year we helped spread some holiday spirit by going caroling at the temporary military base set up here. The soldiers are away from their families and appreciate seeing kids, and while we may not be the finest choir out there, a group of people singing holiday carols enthusiastically can make anyone smile. Of course we included our kids so that they could enjoy the experience and also see how much difference a simple gesture can make.
To us, it’s not about the getting. It’s about the spirit of Christmas. The more they see it, the more the kids will believe this, too. Our tree may not be surrounded by gifts, but more and more, our family (big and small) are realizing that being surrounded by the gifts of the season means more than having many packages under the tree. Happy holidays. May the spirit of the holidays be with you, too.