Twenty-Four Gifts

This isn't a Christmas tradition yet, but I hope it will be. Recently, I read a book titled, Twenty-Nine Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life, by Cami Walker. In it, she describes how focusing on others through one planned, kind gesture a day -- a note, a phone call, a listening ear -- helped her manage the excruciating symptoms of multiple sclerosis. That got me thinking. Several months ago, we visited some friends at their cottage. When we arrived, we were greeted with the refrigerator message above. That small gesture spoke volumes to me, and set the tone for a lovely visit.

Anyone can afford to give the gift of thoughtfulness. What would happen, if for the 24 days leading up to Christmas, every member of my family (and yours) could plan a kind gesture for someone each day? What would Christmas look like, then? When I pick up my son from school today, I will ask him, "What gift did you give today?" And be assured, I'll need to be prepared with an answer to the same question.

Cards of Christmas Past

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time parting with old Christmas cards. They're so beautiful, and I often have great hopes for a second life for them. A few years back, I discovered that you can turn them into Christmas ornaments to hang from your tree, or, in my case, display in a large glass vase. I've also found that they meet the criteria for a small "d" decorating scheme. And best of all, these ornaments are easy enough for kids to make. You simply cut cards into quarter-inch strips, punch a whole on either end of the strips with a hole punch, and secure the strips through the holes with a brad. You then fan out the strips to create a globe shape. That's it. Those of you who are uber crafters, may prefer a more sophisticated ornament pattern. You can find one here.

Advent Activity Calendar

When my son was three, a local literacy organization threw a hands-on Christmas celebration for families. There were many things to make: holiday cards, finger puppets for seasonal chants and an advent activity calendar. My husband made this advent calendar, and it has become one of my favourite holiday traditions.

Behind each door is a suggestion for what to do that day. For example:

Build a snowman.

Write a card.

Put out food for the birds.

Make a paper chain to decorate the house.

Read a holiday book.

Go tobogganing.

Do something kind for someone....

A calendar like this seems to make the holidays more about experience and less about consumption. While I've never actually been able to find a template for our activity calendar, it would be just as easy to make your own using these ideas and templates:

Maya*Made Countdown Calendar 2009

Made with recycled materials. Activities can be printed on slips of paper and tucked into each pocket.

Maya*Made Countdown Caldendar 2010

Made with recycled materials.

Advent Calendar Templates

Lots of DIY options, here.

The Story Tree

After I set up a living space of my own, I decided that I wouldn't invest in Christmas ornaments for our first Christmas tree. I thought it might be nice to ask for an ornament for gift-giving occasions and leave our tree adornments to chance. Our first Christmas tree was a pitiful, Charlie Brown-like Norfolk Island pine (plant) in a plastic pot with three ornaments hanging from its branches. But each ornament was special -- each had its own story. Sixteen years later, my tree is full of ornaments and stories. I have ornaments from Africa, Saudi Arabia and Nunuvut -- from dear friends who remembered me on their travels. I have a miniature porcelain teacup and saucer to commemorate girlhood tea parties with my Dad. I have a paper angel with a stubby foot made by my then five-year-old son. And each year, on December 1st (or thereabouts), my son will say, "Tell me the stories, Mom."