How to Shift Your Focus This Christmas

I received the following message from a reader recently, but it could’ve been written by almost any mother of young children at some point or other in their upbringing. Our culture works overtime to convince us we need a lot of stuff to be happy, and children are often intentionally targeted by the onslaught of advertising. So what can we do to shift their/our focus this Christmas?

Dear Jennifer:
My kids are driving me crazy with their endless lists of stuff they want for Christmas.

I love the holidays, but I hate the commercialism with its selfish focus on me, me, me. And with the economy like it is, I really can’t afford to indulge them this year, anyway. Help!

Beleaguered Mom

Here’s my suggestions for shifting perspective:

Dear Mom,

Sit your kids down as soon as possible and tell them that they will only be getting one gift this year (or two, or just stockings—whatever scaling back looks like for you) and that you will pick it, so they can keep their wish lists to themselves.

Meanwhile, enlist their help in making a new sort of list—a list of things they would like to do all season long to celebrate Christmas together. Activities need not be expensive. Ask if they would would like to:

Try to think of things you can do to serve others this season, as well. When our family made our list several years ago, one child suggested we take hot coffee to the Salvation Army bell ringers when the weather was especially cold—something we’ve done every year since (see what else is on our list).

You’ll want to include all the normal activities that have become cherished family traditions, like going to grandma’s or putting up house lights or making fantasy fudge. But you should also brainstorm to come up with new ideas, like working at the soup kitchen, or reading The Gift of the Magi, or attending a candlelight service.

Keep a copy of your list to reference again next year. Add to it as inspiration strikes. You may not always get to every item on the list, but the process of trying will help change your family’s focus from the gifts under the tree to the people around it.

Sending my prayers and best wishes for a Christ-filled Christmas…

Jennifer

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