What is something you can give your children that doesn’t require a trip to the store? Christmas memories! The special moments they can look forward to every year and remember for years to come.

Christmas has erupted in our house. It’s in the disaster stage where things are haphazardly placed and there are sparkles everywhere. It’s not pretty or magical but with little people hanging off of me I have resigned myself to the fact this year may not have the perfect setup!

The décor isn’t the only thing I’m struggling with. This year it’s gift buying as well. E is at that wonderful stage where he would enjoy just about anything. Baby B is at an age where everything goes right into his mouth and he already has a boatload of hand-me-down toys.

So I’m not sure what to get them. We have a lot of stuff already and the more we accumulate the less I want.

Really, who remembers all the toys they got for Christmas? Actually who even remembers Christmas Day? It’s such a blur of wrapping paper and trying to play with everything at once. In some ways, it’s simply too much.

What I remember is the quiet anticipation on Christmas Eve. My parents may not remember it as being quiet but in my mind, it was a peaceful day. I also remember all the things leading up to that day, the baking, the decorations, the lights and the Christmas story.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a few Christmas gifts that stand out for me, things I loved and cherished but ultimately it isn’t about the gifts.

Christmas Is About More Than Gifts

We have family that dotes on the boys. Grandparents who enjoy shopping for them. And I want my family to have the opportunity to spoil my boys (that’s what grandparents are for)! It’s exciting for them too.

This means there will be plenty of presents without me purchasing anything. I have bought some things but not many.

As I scroll Amazon, Walmart, Toys ‘R’ Us and all the other websites I am starting to think of ways I can make Christmas special without buying too many physical gifts.

I want activities that my boys will remember, crafts that we will pull out when they are 25 and reminisce about the Christmas traditions. I want the Nativity story to be front and centre.

I want to give my boys the gift of memories.

The Gift of Christmas Memories

Here are a few things I have planned to create some Christmas memories in my home:

Nativity Trail Mix – A trail mix-type snack where each food item represents a part of the nativity story.

Birthday Party for Jesus – with cake and we sing happy birthday!

“Looking for Jesus” – some people do “Shepherd on the Search” instead of “Elf on the Shelf.” I don’t have time to do something every day in December so every so often I will hide the baby Jesus from our kid’s nativity scene and let my toddler find him!

Cookie Decorating – who doesn’t love some good old-fashioned cookie decorating?

Ornament/Decoration Making – beaded candy canes, coloured ornaments etc

Daily Advent Readings – simple and short, they can go along with our chocolate advent calendar.

Looking at Christmas Lights – I hope to walk around our neighbourhood after supper one night to look at all the lights!

And yes we still talk about Santa. I don’t want my kid to be the one going to school and breaking the news that Santa isn’t real, crushing all the other kids!

St. Nicholas was a real person who filled stockings (according to legend). So in our house, that’s what Santa does, fills our stockings.

The Real Meaning of Christmas

It’s Jesus who fills our hearts with love though. So we give and receive gifts out of love. This is the ultimate gift, which we need to share.

Christmas is more than just one day and it’s more than just presents. I want my boys to remember the entire season and not focus on the gifts they will get.

I want to give them wonderful memories of being together with their grandparents, decorating the house and retelling the Christmas story. That’s the gift I want to pass on year after year.

I can’t wrap it and put it under the tree but that means it’s a gift they will never forget. They can carry it with them for the rest of their lives, the gift of Christmas memories!

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