Season of Giving

So here we are in the middle of the Christmas season....and I'm really loving it. Minus the blizzard that blew in today. As we've pondered on this year's Christmas we have really wanted to focus on teaching our kids about giving, and not just getting. I think this has really been brought into focus with Zane being in school and having "friend" influence. It seems like every other day he comes home with a new idea to add to his Santa gift.
So we've been talking about it as a family and tomorrow after my morning choir/song practice, the kids and I are heading to the dollar store with one of the young women in our ward. (Cliff works Saturdays and I need someone to sit with 2 while one shops). And once there, the two older ones will be able to purchase a few small things to gift to people. We're really hoping that they will get to experience the magic of giving through this and learn a little. We're also planning gifts that they can help mom bake or make for friends and family. Of course, they are still buzzing with excitement for Santa. And we're mixing things up a little there this year as well. Santa is bringing one big family gift and a few small things in the stockings. And they will each get one maybe two gifts from us. Hoping that those are going to be homemade but the days are rapidly slipping away....not sure if that is going to happen.
We already have so much. It's time to step back and teach that to our kids instead of constantly giving them more and more.