Spreading Christmas Joy
Happy 13th of December!! I didn't mean to disappear for two days after such a great run of posting, but I've been working hard on some Christmas projects to complete them before their deadlines. I will be SO HAPPY once I finally turn over my biggest project to the website that will "complete" it for me. I can't reveal much more than that until Christmas since it's a gift that will be a big surprise for a very special family member :)
Anyway, when I've not been focusing on finishing up some important gift-related tasks, I've been having fun spreading Christmas joy. It's no secret that while I love receiving a nice Christmas gift, I love even more to give them. I especially love to give to those in need and I enjoy surprising someone when they least expect it. The warm feeling inside when I get to give to someone doesn't compare to anything!
I've gotten Jaden and Sienna involved this year in spreading joy too. We're doing a "25 days of Christmas" activity where we have something holiday-related to do each day, and last Monday we paid the tab for the car behind us in a drive-thru. It was a woman in a mini-van and since it was lunchtime we were hoping we were going to get to pay for her lunch (and maybe her kids??) but all she ordered was coffee and cookies. I loved explaining to Jaden and Sienna how surprised the lady would be when she found out we'd paid for her and they seemed to understand, especially when later one of them said they wished someone would pay for us to do something --ha! I know the lady behind us was pleasantly surprised as I watched in my rearview mirror her trying to hand a few dollar bills to the attendant and then having to put them back into her wallet :)
This past weekend Jaden, Sienna and I picked out a few things for a 6-year-old girl whose name we picked off of a giving tree at our preschool parents group. Jaden and Sienna chose an outfit and then each chose a toy for the little girl. I added to it a few more things including a coat I'd purchased a few years ago that we never used and won't need. With the tags still on it, and with it being the girl's exact size, it felt so good to be able to wrap it with her other gifts!
Another way I LOVE to spread Christmas joy is through our annual Christmas card. There are times when I think that maybe we should just send cards to the people who send to us, but as I look over the list of friends and family that we send to my heart always guides me to send them to as many people we love as we can. I know how good it feels to open the mailbox and find that someone thought to send me something and I can't help but want each recipient of our Christmas card to feel that way.
Jaden and Sienna once again helped with this task by stuffing the envelopes and sealing them with a sticker for me. I printed and applied the address lables and mailed them this morning. Our Christmas cards were extremely affordable this year (the stamp on each one cost more than the card itself!) and I LOVE them. Thank you Groupon and Mixbook :)
I hope that during the remaining 11 days between now and Christmas that I can find more opportunities to spread Christmas joy. To me, second to celebrating Christ, spreading joy is what Christmas is all about!
Anyway, when I've not been focusing on finishing up some important gift-related tasks, I've been having fun spreading Christmas joy. It's no secret that while I love receiving a nice Christmas gift, I love even more to give them. I especially love to give to those in need and I enjoy surprising someone when they least expect it. The warm feeling inside when I get to give to someone doesn't compare to anything!
I've gotten Jaden and Sienna involved this year in spreading joy too. We're doing a "25 days of Christmas" activity where we have something holiday-related to do each day, and last Monday we paid the tab for the car behind us in a drive-thru. It was a woman in a mini-van and since it was lunchtime we were hoping we were going to get to pay for her lunch (and maybe her kids??) but all she ordered was coffee and cookies. I loved explaining to Jaden and Sienna how surprised the lady would be when she found out we'd paid for her and they seemed to understand, especially when later one of them said they wished someone would pay for us to do something --ha! I know the lady behind us was pleasantly surprised as I watched in my rearview mirror her trying to hand a few dollar bills to the attendant and then having to put them back into her wallet :)
This past weekend Jaden, Sienna and I picked out a few things for a 6-year-old girl whose name we picked off of a giving tree at our preschool parents group. Jaden and Sienna chose an outfit and then each chose a toy for the little girl. I added to it a few more things including a coat I'd purchased a few years ago that we never used and won't need. With the tags still on it, and with it being the girl's exact size, it felt so good to be able to wrap it with her other gifts!
Another way I LOVE to spread Christmas joy is through our annual Christmas card. There are times when I think that maybe we should just send cards to the people who send to us, but as I look over the list of friends and family that we send to my heart always guides me to send them to as many people we love as we can. I know how good it feels to open the mailbox and find that someone thought to send me something and I can't help but want each recipient of our Christmas card to feel that way.
Jaden and Sienna once again helped with this task by stuffing the envelopes and sealing them with a sticker for me. I printed and applied the address lables and mailed them this morning. Our Christmas cards were extremely affordable this year (the stamp on each one cost more than the card itself!) and I LOVE them. Thank you Groupon and Mixbook :)
I hope that during the remaining 11 days between now and Christmas that I can find more opportunities to spread Christmas joy. To me, second to celebrating Christ, spreading joy is what Christmas is all about!
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