Part 1
When I was a brand new mom, I knew I wanted to keep Christmas simple. I knew the more children we had, the crazier it could get. And our family goal for Christmas was to always keep Jesus as the reason for the season.
When it becomes all about the gifts and the buying, it is easier to lose sight of that.
So, I saw a suggestion in a magazine (remember when we used to get those in the mail?) for implementing a 3-gift-Christmas. We started with our first child on her first Christmas, so it’s all our four kids have ever known. It has really simplified our Christmases as a family, and I’m so glad it’s the way we do things.
Each child gets 3 gifts, just like Baby Jesus. Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Gold = something precious, a gift they’ve been asking for.
Frankincense = for worship. This can be a book or anything else to aid them on their walk with Jesus.
Myrrh = something for the body. This can be a wide range of things from boots to hair supplies to robes or even jewelry.
I’ll be sharing our 2023 gifts in the next blog post.
Some FAQs I get:
Do you still do stockings?
→ Yes! I try to fill them with useful things, not little trinkets.
Do you think this can be done if your kids are older?
→ Absolutely! Just sit down and talk with your kids about WHY you want to simplify Christmas.
Have my kids ever complained that other children get more than they do?
→ Nope.
Do you and Barry do this for each other?
→ No. We are weird and don’t exchange gifts with each other. We prefer to buy each other little surprise gifts here and there throughout the year.
If you have any other questions, I’m happy to answer them below. It’s been such a wonderful practice for our family and I’m happy to share it with others!
Soli Deo gloria,
Stacy
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