Commercials, window displays, newspaper inserts, catalogs and radio spots awaken in our kids an almost manic need to acquire.
As an “antitoxin” of sorts, we can model and inspire giving, whether it’s giving thanks, giving time, giving resources, or giving intangible gifts that have a deep and lasting impact on the recipients.
Give Thanks
Ann Voskamp of Holy Experience claims that giving thanks is joy medicine. She extends an open and ongoing invitation to count our blessings through the Gratitude Community of her One Thousand Gifts carnival.
This past Monday, Ann V. shared these words of John Henry Jowett: “Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.”
When families give thanks together, they help vaccinate themselves against affluenza. We can invite our kids to develop a regular habit of giving thanks, helping to counteract the consumerism that slams into us this time of year.
Give Shoe Boxes
Our eight-year-old son recently overheard his older sisters discussing their Christmas wish lists. “I really don’t want much for Christmas,” he told me. “All I want for Christmas is an art kit … and love.”
“An art kit should be pretty easy to wrap,” I said, “but how will I wrap up a box of love?”
We laughed about it (and hugged), but Jennifer at Getting Down with Jesus and other bloggers like Barry Wallace have reminded us that love can indeed be wrapped up thanks to the Operation Christmas Child (collection countdown ends November 23).
Grab a shoe box. Help the kids shop for recommended items. Fill it with love. Wrap it up and drop it off at a collection location before Monday—it’s a simple, fun way to get kids tangibly giving.
Give Resources
Another way to give as families is to change the way we think about Christmas.
Amber at the run-a-muck announced the launch of Christmas Change this week, inviting readers to make a goal “to live sacrificially so you can give and teach your children to give, and by sharing and receiving ideas for living incarnationally.” Like Ann Voskamp’s Gratitude Community, this is yet another growing community of givers.
Individuals and families alike are invited to join in spending less and giving more to those in need, using our resources to spread good news to those in need. Christmas Change suggests that participants cut their Christmas spending by a portion, and share the difference with their particular charity.
One of our teens suggested a modest variation on this—during the Advent countdown, we could each place a dollar in a container daily so that by the end, on Christmas Day, we would have accumulated a nice little chunk to give.
It’s a start. It’s a very good start.
Give Intangibles
Along with the opportunity to give thanks, give shoeboxes to needy children, and give sacrificially of our resources, we can give some of the most powerful gifts that happen to be—like the love my son requested—“unwrappable.”
Mamie Pack at The Life I Now Live pointed this out in her post “Thanksgiving Has Presents.” Her four-year-old son came home from school announcing, “Mommy, we get presents at Thanksgiving.” At first she thought of correcting him. Then she gave it some thought and realized:
During this season, we have the opportunity of giving the gift of forgiveness to those who may have hurt or misused us. We have the opportunity to give the gift of love not just to those who are able to return such love but also even to our enemies. We have the opportunity to give the gift of a Godly example by showing our family, our friends, our coworkers the joy in serving Christ. We have the opportunity to give the gift of our time by helping out in our community or our church in service. Most importantly, we can take this season to share with others Christ.
Her son was right. Thanksgiving does indeed have presents, should we choose to give them … the most powerful one being to share with others Christ.
And isn’t that—isn’t Jesus—what all this giving boils down to?
How does your family encourage giving?
How well has giving counteracted your family’s hunger for acquisition?
Post written by Ann Kroeker of annkroeker.writer. and Not So Fast. Photo by Ann Voskamp of Holy Experience. Used with permission.
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Thank you, Ann…
Your posts always gently, happily teach so much…
And I. am. so. excited. about Christmas Change this year!
Appreciating you….
All’s grace,
Ann
We started this weekend. After making Christmas lists, we sat down with our kids and encouraged them to go through all of their toys and clothes to give them away to the resale shops in time for them to be helpful to people who do their Christmas shopping there.
It may seem like a small step, but we felt it was a good act of faith on their part to give away toys months before they get new toys.
I really love Ann’s 1000 gifts carnival! I still remember when she first started that…
Additionally, we’re giving them cash instead of one gift, and helping them choose a charity to give the money to.
As for counteracting our hunger for acquisition… I was still browsing for new phones last night. Technology in particular makes it easy to think I just need the next new thing and then my life will be manageable.
Great post, Ann. I’ve been supporting Operation Christmas Child since its inception, and our entire church has since gotten very involved.
@Marcus–great idea to have the kids go through and cull toys now!
Giving as the antitoxin! Yes!
Thank you Ann, for posting.
The Hole in the Gospel is a new book by World Vision’s Rich Stearns. Oh my. I have a whole new understanding now. Now, I carry a 10 dollar bill in my pocket and prayer for opportunities. I sending money overseas. I carry extra blankets in my trunk for the winter homeless.
Honest Thankfulness should spur us to action. Love what Marcus did with the kids.
David
http://www.redletterbelievers.com
Ann V.: You are an inspiration! I hope that many develop the habit of giving thanks, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but year round, just as you do.
Marcus: Oooo…love both of those practical ideas. Culling the toys and giving some cash so they can give it however they are inspired or led? That’s setting them up for a lifetime of the giving mentality. Beautiful. Your comment caused me to have the kids go through their clothes (teen girls accumulate a lot) and now they are sorting through a box from the closet to see what they can *give*.
As for technology, I do find myself dreaming of a nice camera. But if I’m trying to live sacrificially, like Christmas Change is urging me to consider, I may let go of that.
Until the next ad tempts….
Barry: It’s such a great program and they make it so simple! A shoebox–it’s brilliant!
Jennifer: The antitoxin came from the quote Ann provided. Antidote. Counter-measure. Whatever synonym I pick, the idea is the same–I need something to tell my mind and heart that life is more than stuff! A heavy dose of Scripture is also a critical counter-measure that I didn’t mention but practice regularly on my own and with the kids.
redletterbelievers: Well, I’m off to look up your book recommendation. Thanks for suggesting what sounds like a challenging and inspiring read!
David, Would love to hear more about The Hole in the Gospel. It’s been sitting in my bedroom, unopened, for two months now. Something tells me I have a gold-mine on my bedside table. Better get to it, eh?
We can give our time, too. Time is a precious gift — but worth even more to our children, our spouses, our families, ourfriends, and the stranger on the street. Great post, Ann.
Lovely post and wonderful suggestions. The Jowett quote is great.
My son is 21 now. When he was a child, we would buy books together for children who had none. We also gave away several hundred children’s books that were in his little library; they were well-read but still like new. We’ve taken cooked meals for shelter residents or those living on the streets, who have always been appreciative. His toys he kept in immaculate condition; the many he had held onto he donated for children who have no toys.
We continue to participate in Toys for Tots and Christmas Angels. The latter emphasizes the giving of clothing and other necessities and also a toy, depending on the age of the children. We also contribute items throughout the year for large baggies filled with basics appropriate for the particular season (toothpaste and brush, wipes, socks, gloves, hat; sunscreen; tissues, etc.); each family in our church takes at least two and gives them out to those in need who are without homes of their own.
This year, because so many people are out of work and in need, we all do well to give something of ourselves: a smile, a bit of conversation, a cup of hot coffee, a hot meal. Even the smallest gift, when given in empathy and compassion and understanding, can bring a smile. . . and hope.
Glynn: Yes, giving our *time*! I touched on that in the intro but didn’t really expand on it. I agree that giving our time really is a way to give sacrificially in a culture that cherishes time and lives by the clock…and as you pointed out, the gift of our time is worth so much to those to whom we offer it. Thank you for reminding us!
Maureen: I love reading this story of your family’s history of giving. You’ve highlighted some great programs and organizations. And I love how you ended with simple ideas, pointing out that “even the smallest gift” like a smile, a bit of conversation, a cup of hot coffee–things that any one of us could give–offer “something of ourselves.”
Ann,
What a wonderful post. I am so thankful to have this little bit of catching up time to catch up here!
Such great ideas, can’t wait to try what Marcus did with his children with mine. I love Maureen’s giving of books. When I look back, it is the books I shared with the boys when they were small that made meaningful memories.
A couple years ago, my youngest wrapped up a piece of paper for me and placed it under the tree. When I opened it up on Christmas morning, there were these words:
It’s not about the giving or the gitting, it’s about the loving.
It’s one of my favorite gifts of all times, misspelled word and all. We try to share our time, as Glynn suggested, as well as our resources during the Christmas season. But I am definitely going to have to check out that Hole in the Gospel. Sounds amazing.
Bestowing a smile and hug your way…