Guest Post: Giving, A New Christmas Tradition!

Thanks to Mindy from The Way We Save for this guest post!

Giving a New Christmas Tradition

During this time of year we are all busy buying gifts for our loved ones and friends. Lists
are made and we try to buy items that are on the list so that everyone gets what they want
or need. Also because we know that it will bring a smile to their faces. We believe that
gifts are given at Christmas time because Jesus has given us so much we want to show
His love to others by giving them gifts. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have
been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is a gift from God, not a
result of works, so that no one may boast.

After having our daughter, my husband and I talked and decided that this time of year
would be perfect to teach her about giving to others in need. Our daughter has so many
toys and just gets more every Christmas. I know that my daughter loves her toys, but she
does not play with them all and mommy does not like all the clutter J. We wanted to
wait to start this tradition when she would understand why we were giving her toys away
and who we were giving them too. So now that she is 2 we thought it would be perfect.

Our Church has a Toy Drive every year at Christmas. They collect gently used toys to
give to children in Mexico that do not have any or cannot afford toys. We thought that
this would be great for us.

During this year we have been taking the toys that our daughter was not using and putting
them in the 4th bedroom (a place that she does not go). This way they were out of sight
out of mind. Last Saturday we sat down with her and talked to her about giving her toys
to boys and girls that do not have toys. Then grabbed all the toys we had been collecting
out of the room and dumped them on the floor. We designated a location on the floor for
the toys she wanted to donate and a location for the toys she wanted to keep. We thought
for sure that this would be a struggle and that she would want to keep everything, but she
did so good. She only kept one thing!!! Of course it was the one thing that mom and dad
hoped that she would donate.

Then on Sunday we took them all to Church to put in the Toys for Mexico bins. We
reminded her of what she was doing and she unloaded them all into the bins. She told
people as they walked by that she was giving her toys away and was happy about it.
I am so happy that we decided to start this tradition with our daughter and will continue
to do it for years to come. Acts 20:35 says: In all things I have shown you that by
working hard in this we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Interested in starting this tradition? There are lots of places that will take gently used
toys. Try your local Church, Goodwill, and Big Brother and Big Sisters.