What do you give your children, when you have nothing to give

Yes, time with people we love is what the holidays should be about. Your post prompted me to write too about Christmas being ... About Giving, Not Getting.

You know, Brian, my kids have been trying to tell me this same thing for years. Your post hit home for me, and I am greatful for it at this time of reflecting on Christmases past, present, and future. Just having my whole family home this year from all over the country is present enough for me...and for my children.  They wanted nothing more than that.  Thanks for a great reminder, and Have a Merry Christmas!

Great post Brian!  My daughter asked me a couple days ago if Santa was the son of Joseph and Mary!?  I had such a hard time not laughing telling her that "yes! it is the rotten, materialistic, manipulative son that took all the glory away from his brother!"

A timely post, and one that every parent should heed.

Your comments are wonderful too. I love reading how many people are taking their kids along while they do something for the less fortunate. It seems to me the real joy of the season is in the giving, not the getting, and kids should be allowed to feel that joy.

This year I have followed a forum called Santa's Angels, where I adopted a family for Christmas. The comments there show that some parents "get it" and some don't. But a few days ago a woman sent a story about a Christmas when all she had to spend on 5 gifts was $3.

That story really hit me, so I wrote and got permission to post it on my blog. If you want to hear how one group of friends made Christmas memorable, visit my marketing blog to read it.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Marte

Brian, Happy Holidays to you & yours. Being Retired military (not always home at the holidays) my wife & I brought up our children to accept what is given to them at birthdays & Christmas, to accept with gratitude the gift whether store bought or home made craft. We tried to instill in them that although it might like good to their friends to have the latest toy or gadget on TV; the home made gift was made from love & thoughtfulness. They are grown up now & living on their own and I hope they take the lessons of their youth that not every gift has to come from a store but value what is freely given from the heart be it time with the few living relatives (only 2 grandmothers are live now) or some handmade gift.

Hi Brian...Thank you for you reposting this.  It was true last year, it is true this year, and it is true every year.

The time we spend with our children provides the memories of a lifetime.

The wonderful thing is that we receive their time in return.  It is precious to have that when they are young and especially wonderful when they continue to share their time with you when they are grown and gone from home.  This is one of the rewards we receive for loving them and showing it by spending time with them and taking an interest in them. 

Merry Christmas.

Kate

Time - that is the only thing we have to give in limited supply. My dad passed in December 1976. He would have given all his possessions for a little more time with his children. He had so little time with his grand-daughter and never met the other two grand-chidren. Now there are three great-grandsons. I wish he had the time to get to know them too. Now mom is up in years and I return home often to see her. This year I'll make an extra 1500 mile round trip in order to take my grandsons to the beach for a week before school starts again after Christmas break. I'll drive over 3000 miles this Christmas season but I have the time and family is worth much more. This year I decided to only buy gifts for mom and her grandchildren and my children. The reason is much like many have stated as I can easily afford anything any one wanted. My siblings have no 'needs' and it makes little sense to buy soething to be put away and forgotten after unwrapping. So, mom gets a little more this year and my grandsons get a nice addition to their IRA and college funds.  It is like Christmas every day we wake up in good health.

This is something we all loose sight of... how sad that current conditions dictate that we sacrifice our "parenthood" to keep the lights on. What do I want for Christmas??.... Time to spend with my kids.

Jeff Burnham, Rosen & Co, Las Vegas NV

This year our family has made a concerted effort to spend evenings together as the holiday approaches playing board games together, watching Christmas movies together, listening to music and trading favorite holiday memories, and walking around the neighborhood enjoying the decorated homes together. It has been the best season so far in a long time for us and I think it definately comes down to getting priorties in line.

Happy Holidays!

So true, so true, so true Brian. I'm glad you re-posted this again. As a family we are working on creating family events during the holidays. All are working on the menu this time and we asked the kids for their christmas list and was happy to see they each wrote just 5 things. At 10 and 11 they said, we know some things we want but other than that we want to have fun with you guys.

Priceless.

Brian ~ What a great post. On Christmas morning we open presents etc.. Have the families over for breakfast and then head out to The American Legion -  The dress as Santa's elfs and we pass out food, and gifts and then we find local families in the community that don't have much. We just show up with food and gifts for them. Santa in toe!!! It is a great way to show the kids of those in need... Merry Christmas!

This is a wonderful post and an imporant message... everyone should give the gifts to charity and give their kids some time!

Brian, absolutely true! Hope you find lots of time to teach them about the true meanings of Christmas. Integrity, honesty, hope, compassion can't be taught on a video game.

Time is the most important thing.  One Christmas I wrapped up things around the house I had set away for the "future" and gave those things to them.  For example I had a model I had bought but never got around to building.  I gave one of my boys a game of mine that I loved.  Now it is his, but I still get to play it with him.

Thanks for bringing this one back again. It is so true that the most valuable gift we can give is out time - not only with our kids but the rest of the family as well! 

A great post.  I hope everyone takes the time to read this one.  I try and spend as much time, quality time with my son now that I see how fast he is growing.  I'll never get back the times I missed.

Brian, here's the card my five year old made in school for my husband and me for Christmas:

The best gift at Christmas is easy to see

It's not wrapped in paper or under the tree

The best gift at Christmas and all the year through

Is having a FAMILY as special as you!

You are o right Brian. Give them what they really need. Your time and your love.

This was/is a very nice post. Somehow I missed it the other day when it was featured. Hope your day yesterday was spent with loved ones!

Good morning Brian Brumpton,

I'm so glad that Praful Thakkar re-blogged your post its very fitting for even summer vacation when some kids go to tons of camps,vacations , BBQ and family reunions and others have little to do. I know what was important to me growing up was my Dad gave me: a role model, a leader, fantastic education, advice day in and day out... and most of all he gave me love !