Preloader

There is no biblical command to celebrate Christ’s birth, but personally, I think it honors Him. Why not celebrate that God in the form of Baby Jesus began life on this earth—so that through His life, death, and resurrection, those who believe in Him will be saved and adopted into His family? There is plenty to contemplate and be grateful for, and spending a few weeks a year thinking on this is a good thing.

So, in the holiday keeping, we are free to create our own traditions. Giving is one tradition that quickly comes to mind, since God gave His Son, and His Son gave His life to redeem us. Appropriately, gift giving has come down through the centuries as the most popular Christmas tradition. However, even in carrying this on, we need to be careful not to teach our children entitlement. We also need to be good stewards with our money, and watch the amount of money we spend on gifts for our families—particularly our children.

Crown Ministries’ Chuck Bentley warns about going into debt during the Christmas season. He gives some well-founded advice on Crown’s website (www.crown.org) which is worth taking a look at. Here are some of his simple steps to avoid debt at Christmas.

  1. Pray and seek guidance from the Lord
  2. Reset priorities and adjust lifestyle
  3. Renew your mind with truth
  4. Seek accountability with a trusted friend
  5. Plan ahead
  6. Budget
  7. Pay cash
  8. Avoid social media
  9. Take on an extra job to avoid debt
  10. Sell some stuff
  11. Start saving for next Christmas now

Another wise consideration and a good teaching tool for children, is to plan to give a portion of your Christmas budget to bless others. Here are 12 ideas to get you thinking (although some of them will have to wait until next year to implement). 

1. Operation Christmas Child is a ministry sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org). Every year, millions of shoeboxes are given to underprivileged children around the world. They are filled with hygiene items, school supplies, clothing items, and toys that can be purchased at dollar stores. Your church may be involved in this already, but even if they aren’t, individuals/families can participate on their own. Check out the website for instructions and the nearest drop-off center in your area. There are also opportunities to volunteer at the drop-off centers and distribution packing centers. I did this one year in Baltimore with my daughter, grandson, and his friends, and really enjoyed it.


2. Compassion International (www.compassion.com) and World Help (www.worldhelp.net) are two worthy organizations that locate needy children around the world for sponsorship. But at Christmas they provide special ways of giving where one donation will buy a gift for a child. These organizations also publish a Christmas catalog which features ways to buy gifts like chickens or goats for families in poverty-stricken countries to give them a means to make a living. They also provide opportunity to purchase gifts handmade by those in impoverished countries, where the proceeds go directly back to those who created the items.

3. Foreign missions work hard at Christmas. Since Christmas is practiced by Christians worldwide, it is a good opportunity for mission ministries to give to those to whom they minister. You may recall from last month’s blog about Life of Promises Ministries in Guatemala that Tom and Arlene Richmond pass out Blessing Bags, consisting of enough food supplies to feed a family for several weeks. This a great way for one family to help another. Check with your church to see what you can do personally, or together with your family, for the missionaries your church supports—maybe even buying small gifts for the missionary children.

4. A simple Google search turns up a number of ministries/organizations that have special outreaches to military members overseas, military families, and veterans. This group is often overlooked at Christmas, and giving to men and women who are sacrificing or have sacrificed their holidays with family to serve in our military is a great idea. If you have a loved one in the military currently serving overseas, send them a Christmas care package with extra homemade cookies to pass around.

5. Prison Fellowship is a ministry that takes the gospel into prisons. During the Christmas season, supporting churches and organizations for this ministry host Christmas trees on which each ornament lists a prisoner’s child and their needs. By taking an ornament and buying and wrapping the requested gift, the giver becomes an “angel” for a prisoner’s child. This popular “Angel Tree ministry helps to meet [prisoners’ families] physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through Christ” (www.prisonfellowship.org). You can also receive a child’s name online. The gifts are presented to the families at a big Christmas dinner in their honor.

6. Many pregnancy resource centers have special events at Christmas for their clients and clients’ children. Call your center to see what you can do to help fill the needs they may have during this season. Even if they don’t have a seasonal need, buy a package of diapers to take to the center along with some cookies for the staff and volunteers. (Did you know that most of the programs at a PRC are implemented by volunteers who give hours of their time? They would appreciate your thanks!)

7. Do you have homeless shelters and/or rescue missions in your community? Give them a call to find out any special drives they might be having. Pack small gift bags with hygiene items to give to their clients. Many churches or organizations that provide meals to the homeless will invite families and church groups to volunteer to cook and serve a meal. This is a great way for children to see the needs in their own community and to realize that they too, can contribute to this cause.

8. Nursing homes provide another opportunity for ministry during this season. Residents are often lonely, unvisited, and struggling with physical ailments. When my children were growing up, our church’s girls’ group would have a cookie baking night, putting the goods into little gift bags along with homemade cards of encouragement. Then we spent another evening taking the gift bags to a nursing home, singing carols, and reading the Christmas story from Scripture. A pastor or leader would end the evening by sharing the gospel. Sometimes we just walked the halls, passing out the bags and singing carols. Even if you don’t do this as an organized group, call nursing homes in your community to see which ones might let your family bring in homemade items.

9. Check for local charities and organizations that are collecting toys, clothing, or gifts for underprivileged children and families in your town. Our church belongs to an angel program where we are given the needs, wishes, and size information for each child. Each participating family or individual picks a child to buy for, then brings that group wrapped gifts for distribution. 

10. Perhaps you know of a family in your neighborhood or church that is going through a difficult time, or who may not have enough financial resources to give their children gifts. I like the idea I heard on Word Radio of a family who cut back on their own interfamily giving and bought gifts for each family member of a needy family. Then they drove to the house, parked discreetly, and put all the gifts on the front porch anonymously. The last person waited until everyone was back in the car, rang the doorbell, and ran away as fast as he could. From their car down the street, they watched the family receive what was given.

11. Share a meal with another family that may be new to the neighborhood or church, or maybe a family you know that is going through a difficult time. Cook a meal for an elderly shut-in, take it to them, and eat with them. Spending time with sick and elderly folk who can’t get out would bless them immensely.

12. Have a family cookie bake and then prepare a plate for everyone on your street. Deliver them as a family or let your children deliver them.

I love these last personally created gifts and personally delivered gifts ideas; but all of these suggestions bring joy to the givers and the receivers. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a group to support, research it. I stand behind and have participated with the ones I have listed here. Look for groups for which you can buy specific items rather than just monetary donations. This usually assures that your gift will reach a real need. Also look for groups that make sharing the gospel with the gift recipients part of their mission. Deciding with your family to reduce your own gift-giving in order to bless someone who has less than you is a loving decision that produces compassion and care for others, and plants joy in everyone’s heart. Isn’t that an expression of God’s love as well?

tags: Giving

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