More Blessed to Give
posted by on 12/27/06
With a desire that our family would focus on giving rather than receiving at Christmastime, Mom came up with a great idea that was destined to become a family tradition. Now, every year as Christmas Eve approaches, anticipation and excitement build while each member of the family secretly creates a special gift for someone else.
One thing that makes our gift exchange special is that it has to be a personalized gift, often created with materials that are already in the home or workshop. Mom coordinates it ahead of time so that each person makes a gift for a different person. And Dad is always there to help out anyone who needs a hand with a difficult project.
This year on Christmas Eve we gathered at Grandpa and Grandma Brannon’s house, enjoyed cookies together in an atmosphere of lighted candles, and marveled at all of the creativity, diligence, and thoroughness that went into each person’s exchange gift. Over and over again, this fun family tradition has revealed to us the truth that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
What a wonderful way to make Christmas extra special! Those will certainly be the gifts remembered all year long because of the love poured into them. Creativity, Perseverance, Diligence, and Sticktuitiveness
would certainly have to of been present to make all those unique presents.
[...] O the joy of selfless giving; O the creativity of homemade surprises! O the excitement of the Christmas Eve gift exchange! [...]