Did you know the average American will spend nearly $700 on Christmas gifts this year?
That is over $465 BILLION dollars!
I’m going to be honest when I admit, I don’t remember what gifts I received over three years ago.
For a child, the Christmas gifts, and Santa Claus is part of the magic.
My husband and I have had many Christmases where our children play with the box more than the toy we give.
And we love it! Their joy and excitement gave us some beautiful memories.
Christmas is more about the memories we have than the gifts we are given, although, others would try to have you believe differently. It’s easy to become caught up in the gift buying and commercialization of Christmas that we forget the sacred purpose behind this holiday.
Please don’t misunderstand, giving gifts on Christmas is wonderful. Yet, there is so much more that can be done to make Christmas memorable for yourself, your family, and those you serve and love. Here are 10 free ways to make Christmas memorable, and focus on the true meaning of Christmas.
10 Free Ways to Make Christmas Memorable
1. Go sledding as a family. (And if there isn’t any snow, go ice blocking).
2. Send Christmas text messages to your friends and family to brighten their day.
3. Bake a meal for a sick neighbor or a new mom. You can always double one of your dinner meals for the night in preparation to share. (I love buying and using disposable bakeware to hold the casseroles. This way I don’t have to keep track of who has which of my dishes and plates).
4. Shovel the snow off someone’s driveway and in front of their house.
5. Offer to babysit a young family’s children so the parents can go Christmas shopping.
6. Make Christmas cookies and other fun treats. Deliver them to friends and neighbors (bonus points if you go Christmas caroling to their homes).
7. Watch a Christmas movie together as a family.
8. Volunteer your family to help in a soup kitchen, or another community resource center, for a few hours on a Saturday (or another day where everyone will be together).
9. Reenact the Christmas story in Luke 2 as a family and record this on your phone (I recommend the narrator do the reading and recording).
10. Play and sing along to Christmas music.
Although this list is not inclusive, I do hope that some ideas have sparked in your mind. Enjoy the time you have with your family. Little children grow up too quickly and older loved ones depart too soon.
Do you have a favorite Christmas memory? Or is there a tradition you do each year during the holiday season? Leave a comment and let us know down below!
Micah Klug is a wife, homeschooling mother to five children, and author. She teaches time-tested solutions to help parents remember what matters most in life, including strengthening their home, faith, and family relationships. To learn how a child who grew up in an authoritarian home is now creating an environment of peace and joy in her own home visit this page. If you want to contact Micah, send her an email here or email [email protected].
