Thursday 6 September 2007

A Christmas Gift

I just had to share this with you. I was ranting to my Texan email buddy Debra about how people cross Christ out of Christmas by writing in their cards 'Merry Xmas' instead of 'Merry Christmas'. Christian or not, if we're going to celebrate Christmas let's do it properly people and remember what it's all about! I then told her how when the children were little we'd make a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday Baby Jesus on Christmas Day. She then told me this utterly wonderful story of when her children were small:

I loved your rant about the "X" instead of Christ in Christmas! I too, refuse to X out His name. He came to specifically die on the cross for us and we celebrate Him. When our children were young we put our tree up Thanksgiving night. We put a baby cradle under the tree with a bag of hay off to the side. Each child's name was written on a piece of paper and they had to pick a name and keep it secret. The got to put a piece of hay in the cradle when they did something unnoticed for the person whose name they picked. That was the only way Jesus had any hay to lay on in the cradle. They had to anonymously work for their selected name without any thanks or glory. It was amazing to see the little cradle fill up with their unselfish deeds. It always makes me cry when I think about how they struggled not to get caught making someones bed or doing someones chores for our symbolic gift to the Lord.

Isn't that the most tear jerking thing you ever heard? What a valuable lesson for her chidren to learn in life. :0)

5 comments:

Babs (Beetle) said...

Oh that is really lovely :O) What a great thing to teach kids.

weechuff said...

I am just sorry that everyone is too big for us to do it now:0( That is a lovely thing to have done:0)

granny grimble said...

That is a lovely comment Sindie, and what a gorgeous way to teach children about loving and giving. If it were on my Blog,I would send it in to the local rag for other parents to take advantage of.
You are never 'too big' Sandie, to help your friends and family in secret and without thanks. In fact it could be rather fun as well. I've always fancied putting a (No, I won't tell you, in case I ever get the chance to do it!)

Croom said...

Oh what a fantastic thing to teach our children. Do you know I had not even realised that the word Christ was x out whenever I wrote Xmas. I shall never use it again.

Tinaxx

emilyyy said...

Aaaawww! That's sweet. =]

Grandma, don't even think about it! Hehe.

That's uber cute. Somebody have a baby so we can do it!

XXX