Christmas Gifts

Christmas seems to get confused with shopping and money and wrapping and busyness. We focus our family on love and joy and receiving from God and giving it back. We give to those in need and bake for neighbors and make memories with friends and family and take time for people.

On Christmas day, the kids exchange gifts with each other and receive one gift from us. We enjoy breakfast and roast a turkey and make gravy and dine with our extended family. This year was especially blessed for me, as only one member was unable to attend...which meant we had 22 people in our home...and I could not have been happier! The food was yummy but the fellowship was delightful.

Stockings are a very important tradition for my husband's family, so I have made large personalized stockings for each member (including extras for when my family or others are able to join us) and instal lots of hooks to hang them all from. Sometimes the stuffers don't all fit and are contained in sacks underneath. (This photo does not show them all well, but there are 22 stockings hanging here.)

The adults exchange names for gifts and each of the kids get one or two from the extended family. We all love giving gifts, but make sure this is not the focus of our day. When all the food and wrapping are cleaned up, we watch movies, play games, visit and eat leftovers. This year the celebrating ended about 11pm!

Several times throughout the day, I stopped to take in the moment, the sights and sounds of our family together...feeling beyond blessed by all the Lord has given me. May your year be blessed with many such moments, where God's love is showered upon you.