Years ago at Christmas we had a massive cousin gift exchange. It was fun and delightful. It was exciting for the kids to think of each other and try to dream up a suitable gift for their cousin. It was one small way to strengthen ties in extended families and help the kids get to know each other. This went on for years, pulling cousins names out of a hat, picking out the gift, then giving the gift or in many cases shipping the gift to the individual. So. Much. Fun! As the years went by though, it seemed that the gifts became just another present for each child in a stack of too many gifts. Plus some moms were buying, wrapping and shipping the gift without their kids help because the kids were just so busy! It lacked the personal touch that once was there and became another chore for parents to tackle during the hectic holiday season. So we took a hard look at the tradition and found a beautiful way to improve it.
About 10 years ago, we decided to pool the money we would use for the gift exchange every Christmas and find a worthy cause or a needy family who would benefit from the money or gifts. A brilliant and heart-warming solution and the chance to do some good! In our family, the task of collecting the money and choosing the cause rotates yearly through the siblings. This year it is our family’s turn. 🙂
A small journal also rotates to the sibling who is in charge of the project in which is written that year’s experience. Then we email out the entry so that everyone can read of the joyful expression of love from that Christmas. There have been lots of Secret Santas for needy families! We love to read of the gifts and gift cards that were picked out and the sneaking to the porch to lay down the surprises!
The last time it was our turn, 8 years ago, we put together boredom buster kits for kids in the children’s hospital. This was a great project for my young kids to open their hearts to people who were struggling with their health. We filled big ziploc bags with stickers, colorful pens, cards, coloring pages, stamps, ink and fun paper punches. We hoped it would be easy for the hospital staff to hand a kit to each of their patients and that their patients could hopefully forget some of their troubles for an afternoon. We created 40-50 kits, then when all the kits were ready, we drove our kids and the kits out to the hospital to share some mirth.
You know that joyful feeling that comes from giving?! Oh man is that just the best? Better than another gift on the big ol’ stack. Indeed it is better to give than receive! My kiddos were able to help hand over the boxes filled with the boredom busters to the hospital staff and sing carols there and on the way home. 🙂
I have to say, that when we were first steering away from the cousin gifts, I felt a pang of loss for our little kids who were not going to know the cousin gift exchange! However, when the first project was to help a family who was not going to have a Christmas, I knew it was a better choice! We all loved reading of the service that was done! Our cute kids don’t need another item at Christmas, but an experience to bless another human being at this joyful time of year is amazing!
We are trying to teach our children to be contributing and happy adults. I believe a big portion of happiness is learning to serve those around us. We have the chance every year to help with the angel tree, the Salvation Army and other kind charities. However, once every 8 years, we are joyfully armed with a pool of money and love to bestow on someone. While we hope to be a blessing, as is true in cases like this, the blessing turns out to be ours.
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I love that your family made the switch! I wanted to do the same with my husband’s family and their cousin exchange but…no.
Ahhh Susan! Maybe next year! Thanks for coming by! 🙂