You see it year after year.
Kids getting too many toys and too much money.
Looking back, there were very few toys that stuck out in my memory in all the years of gift giving from parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
The gifts I remember were very plain but meant a lot to me because they served a higher function than being played with and broken all too quickly; flannel sheets from my grandparents which were so warm on those cold nights, a multi-photo picture frame from my mom because she knew I loved photography; it is just a plain black frame, some matting and some Plexiglas, but it still hangs in my house after 12 years of use; my own quilt and afghan made by my grandma.
They were thoughtful and though I did not think much of them at the time, they stick out in my memories the way no toy ever has.
Growing older, I want to give gifts that could have a little more meaning to the kids in my life.
These are the gifts that do not seem to give that instant satisfaction that either kids, or even the parents, crave, but these are gifts that lead to the stories you hear as the kids grow up.
There are many things to do for kids during the holidays that have nothing to do with toys.
Many charity organizations have gift giving opportunities during the holidays.
Most charity organizations make it a point to have special holiday gift giving options around this time of year especially.
WWF, and other animal based charities especially, even provides a plush animal with their adoption kits so the gift giver can get something physical along with a donation to help an endangered species.
Helping other people is always a gift, both for the helpee and the helper.
Spending a day giving their time sticks with a kid and could give them a different attitude towards the holidays.
Taking the kids to volunteer at the soup kitchen for the day, anonymous donations to a special cause; these are the things that stick out in a someone’s mind long after that toy they so desperately wanted has been received.
I read a very touching story on Facebook about a women starting a tradition with her husband where they would anonymously donate to a cause or help someone out and gift that to their family in the form of a white envelope they would open on Christmas.
As the story went, this was the part of Christmas that even her kids were most excited for.
The first Christmas after her husband died, each of her kids did their own white envelope for her tree.
Learning to give comes from parents and what better time to show kids that gift than during the holidays.
What would happen in the world if we taught our kids to look beyond what they are going to receive and focus on what they can give?
Then there is always giving the gift of time.
The times I remember most growing up are special nights around the kitchen table with the crib board or a game of scrabble and nights playing hockey in the driveway with only the yard light to guide us and the dog running around our legs.
Seeing the busyness of the world, how we are slaves to money and work, take some time to spend with your kids this season. It’s not only good for them but also good for you.
Your kids are going to grow up with or without you, you might as well enjoy it while it’s happening.
