My Grown-Up Christmas List

I was inspired by the song My Grown-Up Christmas List and Jill Rigby's Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World to write my own special Christmas list. Every family has their own list of traditions for the holidays and I am hoping we can add some new ones to ours. I want to make sure that I help my daughter (and me!) to focus on the true gifts of Christmas; compassion, generosity, and a child being born into this world to bear our sins.

 My Christmas List

• Start reading A Christmas Carol out loud as a family
• Help children go through toys to give away to needy children
• Participate in Heifer Intl or Samaritan's Purse
• Adopt a child/family for Christmas
• Make a batch of something homemade to share with neighbors/mailman/garbagemen
• Invite kids over to make candy houses
• Make homemade Christmas cards and send them out via snail mail!
• Let kids add canned good to the food donation pantry
• Adopt an elderly neighbor
• Make a Family Newspaper to record Christmas memories
• Homemade gifts for each member of family
• Host Birthday Party for Jesus and invite kids to come with a little gift that will be given to children in need
• Help kids write and perform a play
• Sing Christmas Carols at dinner
• Make homemade bread from scratch
• Watch It's A Wonderful Life w/ popcorn
• See a LIVE Nativity scene
• Make old-fashioned popcorn garlands
• Pass out Candy Canes door to door
• Have a candlelight supper around the Christmas tree
• Make lists of family promises for the new year
• Read the Christmas story of Luke 2
• Attend Christmas Eve service
• Make a cake for Jesus Birthday

I know we probably won't be able to finish our list but we are going to try! What are some of the things you are going to add to your grown-up list? What special traditions do you have with your family already? Happy Holidays Everyone!

Love and Light, MARS