Jenifer Metzger : Five Ways To Make Your Christmas About Something More

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As the tv plays, commercials flood my home. Commercials telling my kids they cannot be satisfied without the new latest toy and gadget. Commercials telling my husband of new cars or tools he must have. Commercials telling me of diamonds that must grace my neck and fingers this season.

Commercials are a company's way of getting business and making money. I completely understand that. I get advertising. But this time of year these commercials are in-your-face, full force out to get you and your bank account. They make children feel let down when they don't get all the must-haves and husband's feel guilty for not having the money to buy jewelry. They make us go into debt over things that do not last. Material possessions. Earthly treasures.

I want Christmas for my family and I to be about more than stuff. I want it to be about Jesus, faith, family, friends, and helping others. When my kids look back on Christmases past, they might remember a toy here and there, but they won't remember them all. But they will remember times together as a family. They will think back on reading the Bible together. They will learn from serving others.

Five ways to make your Christmas about something more...

Limit Christmas gifts. I am not saying that getting Christmas gifts is wrong. We love to see the joy on our child's face when they open something new. It's okay. But limit what you spend and how many gifts. Our children need to know that the true meaning of Christmas has nothing to do with gifts but everything to do with the Hope that came down. Besides, look in your child's room....do they really need anything at all?
Do an advent. My family is doing the Adventures in Odyessy Advent this year and we are loving it. I love what advent means and I love that Adventures in Odyessy adds fun activities and elements for the kids.
Turn off commercials. I would say turn off tv altogether because I am not a fan of tv anyway, but I love Christmas movies. We record the Christmas movies we love this way we can fast forward through the commercials. Commercials breed greed in our hearts, even when we don't realize it. So be careful of what you watch. And as much as I love Christmas movies, be very careful of the ones you watch. Not all send a good message.
Give, give and give. We all say it. We all know we should. But are we actually doing it? Make dinner for a neighbor, bake cookies for others, do small random acts of kindness. Recently I read a book and in this this little town they had a Secret Santa. This Secret Santa would randomly place candy canes with special encouraging messages around town. Do this yourself! But a box of candy canes and place encouraging scriptures on a piece of paper and place them in random spots. What a great way to get the Word of God out and bring a smile to someone.
Give the gift of you. What do your kids want most? It's something they may not even realize they crave. They want you. Do Christmas gifts of date nights with your kids. Pick a few things your kids love to do, plan nights out and write them in envelopes and give those to your kids. You can have an envelope for coffee date with mom, bowling with dad, chick flick with mom, fishing with dad, family game night, family arcade night, at home mani-pedis with mom, just to name a few ideas. These will be gifts your kids love because they get your undivided attention.