Over the past few weeks, I have been evaluating our traditions on the holidays. Certainly, these thoughts have been spawned by the cool crisp evenings, the fire roaring in the living room, and the mornings visited by Jack Frost. Oh, and the endless amount of toy catalogs filling our mailbox.
Christmas for the Chandler's is evolving into a holiday filled with more meaning than toys; toys that typically collect dust as the new year begins. I presented the change to our youngest (still a believer in the magic) that Christmas was going to look a little different this year. In a very matter of fact manner, I explained that this year when we draft our letter for Santa, we are going to focus on three categories: Want, Need, and Read. He didn't blink. He set out to compose the following list; given no directions or help from either of us. He then proceeded to ask me for help in composing an "acrostic poem" for Santa. He had already lined the word "Santa" down his paper in vertical fashion, writing in big block letters. Be still my heart! Never do we as parents want to disappoint our children, but if we continue to disguise the meaning of Christmas by presenting them with a mountain of gifts under the tree, we are enabling them to have the wrong impression of what Christmas is truly about. They need to be taught how to appreciate any and all gifts they receive, like homemade cookies from a neighbor or the handwritten letters from their adoring aunt. They need to be shown what it looks like to give, and feel the full heart afterwards. As parents, we can talk and teach all we want, but until we embrace the action and show our children, our words will carry little value.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Tags
All
AuthorTraci, a wife, mother of two boys, Special Education teacher, and sole proprietor of Eco Alternatives LLC. Archives
September 2021
|