tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907388982947659433.post763889303270774698..comments2023-04-05T06:34:18.046-07:00Comments on A Mommy Montage: Redeeming ChristmasGinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09848499555338330618noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907388982947659433.post-41876877896584165212010-12-13T03:15:58.913-08:002010-12-13T03:15:58.913-08:00Super great post!! My parents always gave us only ...Super great post!! My parents always gave us only three gifts and we do the same, i never thought about why. =) Oh the santa thing is harder than i ever thought it would be because i don't plan on lying but i don't think imagination is bad at christmas time either. whenever my oldest asks about santa i just i guess we will see! =) I will have to go read that mark driscoll article. =)Stephanie M. Pagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18438738111102654614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907388982947659433.post-83987601276267022552010-12-12T16:04:42.589-08:002010-12-12T16:04:42.589-08:00That sounds like a really fun idea Sandi! We'l...That sounds like a really fun idea Sandi! We'lll have to give it a try some year! Thanks for sharing!Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09848499555338330618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907388982947659433.post-54424021867078479302010-12-11T04:57:51.212-08:002010-12-11T04:57:51.212-08:00Gina: I LOVE your thoughts and insights into how C...Gina: I LOVE your thoughts and insights into how Christmas should be for your family. You are so on track here, and raising your girls to believe they can be a part of helping others --especially at such a "give me time of year" is even better.<br />Here are some of the ideas we have put into place---for the same reason, I was tired of the materialistic nature of the Christmas Season and made a decision to change it in our family.<br />We do not do Christmas Stockings---instead we do Stock Boxes---each person who attends our Christmas Eve brings one wrapped item. it can be homemade or boughten but the important criteria is that it has to be something the person can use. It can be food, maybe a new toothbrush, or a small packet of gum but cannot cost anymore than 2.00. To help with the environmental waste issue, we wrap in newspaper. <br />The Stock Boxes are just cardboard boxes ---you write each persons name on a box and then you or the kids can decorate the boxes to their hearts content. This could be a craft in itself to keep the wee ones busy while you do other Christmas activities that they cannot help you with. <br />Bottom line here is, if you have 14 people coming, each person brings 13 small wrapped gifts and they put one gift in each stock box except their own. I watch for bargains throughout the year and have a stock box full of cool items that I add to the boxes to make them more fun. <br />Once everyone is there, we take our boxes and sit around in a circle --enjoying some homemade snacks and apple cider etc and each person takes a turn opening one of their gifts. Sometimes, there are some funny gifts in there, to suit the occasion and they make the event one we can laugh about and remember in the years to come. <br />Over all, I have got to say that in the 5 years we have been doing this event, it has become the one that no one wants to miss at Christmas and it is truly so simple and inexpensive to do. It brings home what Christmas should be about, sharing a wonderful time with the ones we hold closest to our hearts. Hope this is clear enough--if not, send me a message and I can explain further.<br />I have lots of other ideas too---Connie has heard some of them and she does know about the Stock Box Idea also.<br />Keep up the wonderful blog--it is such a pleasure to read your stories and to watch your wonderful young ladies growing up before my eyes.<br />Love SandiSandi Yacobuccihttp://www.thelittletrufflemaker.comnoreply@blogger.com