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Christmas Giving

© Bridget Slayden

As Christmas draws near, I'm finally able to breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy the spirit of the holiday rather than simmer in my own boiling blood as stress tries to win me over. This year I waited to buy Christmas presents until almost last minute ...what a mistake that was! The past few weeks have been a roller coaster of shopping, dodging the crowds and racking my brain for the Perfect Gift. All that nonsense and an article I recently read led my husband and I to a discussion of gift giving. And lo and behold, we came up with a few wonderful ideas that simply take heart. I've also discovered a few on the net.

One of the biggest gift giving problems is the cash it takes to buy the gifts in the first place. If a grandma, aunt, or mom (male counterparts as well) have too many children to buy for, it can be quite a dilemma. Idea? Write a letter to your little loved one. Tell how you felt when you were his or her age. Talk about the things that you enjoyed. What ideas did you have about the future? Not only will you be creating a wonderful treasure for that child to cherish for always, you will also be instilling the importance of reading and writing. That letter may one day even be passed on ...what better way of knowing where you come from? Additional ideas: Perhaps make that note extra special by writing it in calligraphy, rolling it into a scroll, or writing it in a favorite childhood book?

Another idea. Go through your stuff. Jewelry, old watches, wallets, gloves, pens, you name it. Find something that has some kind of meaning to you. Write a letter to go along with that item telling your daughter, grandchild, great grandchild etc. what the object meant to you and what it means to you today. For example: I have a sapphire ring that I received when I was about 12. It was the first ring I ever owned...etc. How I wish I kept my first pair of earrings!!!! Children love stories, especially stories about their parents. I still love to hear all the stories my parents wish to tell.

A Double Good Idea: Have your child or student write a letter to a parent or grandparent. Try to get the parent or grandparent to keep the letter and one day return the letter or letters to the child who in turn could one day give it to his or her own child.