Reindeer Tags

Growing up I remember there were a few Christmases that my mom used Reindeer names for gift tags in replacement of our real names.  My sisters and I loved trying to figure out who was which reindeer by what we thought each gift was. 

I have carried on this tradition by placing a couple of  wrapped presents for each kid under the tree about a week before Christmas.  It peaks their excitement and curiosity as they maul the presents almost to their undoing.  I tell them ahead of time that if the present becomes unwrapped, then it goes back to the store so they are usually pretty careful.  Every year when December rolls around one of the first requests from my kids is if I will do the reindeer names again.  The kids always get a new reindeer name each Christmas so that they won't know who they are.  I can't ever remember which kid was which reindeer name, but my kids sure do!  Write down who is what reindeer name on a paper, because if you have more than two kids it can become pretty hard to remember on Christmas morning.

Keep Christ at the beginning of CHRISTmas

 

 

 

God gave us the greatest gift- his son, Jesus Christ, that we could be saved and return to him.  Christ lived his life in service and love.  He not only gave us an example of how we should live our lives, but he gave us the ultimate sacrifice- he gave his life for us. 

 

Many of us start off the Christmas season with Black Friday Shopping or Cyber Monday to get a jump on the BEST Christmas buys.  I'll be the first to admit I'm one of those- which isn't necessarily a bad thing.   BUT I think it's easy to get so involved in buying the presents, sending out the Christmas cards, preparing the neighbor gifts, pinteresting the teacher gifts, decorating the Christmas tree, putting up the Christmas lights, wrapping the Christmas presents, planning the Christmas feast, attending the Christmas parties.... and da  da da da that we put the real meaning- The CHRIST part of Christmas on the end of the to do list. I think the very FIRST thing that should be done is to find ways to bring Christ into the beginning of Christmas to celebrate his life all month long. 

 

 

I  am currently in the works of creating a centerpiece in our home that reminds us of Christ.  I want my family to focus on giving gifts to Christ, by serving others. 

 

 

Here is what I want to accomplish and share with anyone else that is interested in keeping Christ at the beginning of CHRISTmas.

Purchase or make a white Christmas stocking and have the word Christ monogrammed on it.  Hang this stocking by a picture of Christ. Start off the beginning of Christmas each year by giving every person in your family (yourself included) a challenge to give gifts to Christ by serving others. Give them a hard copy of a list of ideas you've chosen and ask them to choose a certain # (according to their age and capabilities) of those things to do or even to make up a service opportunity on their own.  Hang a copy of the list in a visible place in the house.  Of course, for the little ones it's going to be a little more Mommy maintenance, but the older children should be able to accomplish several of them without help.  If this becomes a tradition as the children age- it will be easier and easier for them to do it.   When an act of service is completed write on a slip of paper what was done and put it in the stocking.  Keep the papers in an easily accessible place near the stocking. On Chirstmas Eve, take a minute to sit as a family to read and talk about the acts of service performed- the gifts that they gave to Christ.  Make it a point to have the children describe the activity, how they felt, and how they think those that received the service felt. 

 

My parents have been great examples of service.  The idea of giving service has come from them,  there have been many Christmases that they have helped my siblings and I find ways to serve others as we grew up.  Even though we are now grown and have families of our own, our parents still try to encourage this.  Just a few years back they gave each couple a list of service ideas and asked us to accomplish a few of them.  This year they want to give the challenge to the grand kids to serve.  With their idea in mind and the idea of the white Christmas stocking that I have heard from others, I want to start my own family tradition of keeping Christ at the beginning of CHRISTmas.  I hope to carry this tradition on (like my parents have) even after my kids are grown and have families of their own.

 

Here are several ideas for acts of service that can be done.  Some can be done as a group with siblings, cousins, or friends and some can be done individually or anonymously.  Have children earn their own money to donate for the service activities that will cost, if possible.

1. Serve someone you do not know.
2. Visit or send a card to a family member you haven't seen for awhile.
3. Visit or send a card to someone you know that might be lonely or going through a hard time.
4. Visit a Senior Citizen Center and bring homemade cards, pictures, perform a talent, or sing Christmas carols.
5. Give service to a homeless person.
6. Donate money to Sub-for-Santa.
7. Buy an "Angel Tree" gift.
8. Help a single mother or elderly couple decorate for Christmas
9. Help a single mother or elderly couple with outdoor/indoor things they need done.
10. Anonymously give money to a family in need.
11. Write a Christmas card to a missionary.
12. Make a treat and take it to a neighbor.
13. Do an act of service for a neighbor.
14. Do an act of service for someone in your family.
15. Do an act of service for each person in your family.
16. Make blankets or gifts to take to a homeless shelter, women's shelter, children's hospital.
17. Serve food at a homeless shelter.
18. Donate to the food bank.
19. Sing Christmas Carols around the community to those that might be lonely or in need of a little Christmas cheer.
20. Invite an elderly person or couple over for dinner.
21. Plan an activity to do with someone that is disabled or has special needs.
22. Leave secret notes of encouragement for someone else.
23. Do the 12 days of Christmas for another family.
24. Do a Nativity Gift-Away for another family. ( I will add a post about this one tonight.)
25. Do service for someone that has recently lost a loved one.

 

Another idea that you could work towards as a family all year long is to save your coins in a designated Christmas coin jar. Each year at the beginning of December choose a family that is in need to give your savings to. 

 

Please share any other service ideas in comments below that could be added to this list. Also, share any ideas or traditions of how your family keeps Christ in Christmas.