Christmas can either be a fantastic and fun time, or a time of trial and stress. For most, it’s a bit of both, and I am fully aware that every parent keeps strong for the kids, even though it may not always be easy to do so.
So, on behalf do kids everywhere; thank you. It probably won’t be until your kids get older and have kids of their own that they will fully understand and appreciate you and everything you have done for them.
Every parent I know wants to give the best presents to their kids, but what is the best present?
- Is it what they’ve been nagging you for since last Christmas?
- Is it the latest, most popular toy or computer game? (or the one their friends are getting)
- Maybe the tutorial they need to get ahead in school, or catch up at school?
- Is it piano lessons, or a church camp?
The first Christmas presents
Back during the very first Christmas of all, Jesus’s parents weren’t expecting to look under a tree and find baby gifts the next day. But there were certainly plenty of people who brought them gifts.
Three of the best known gifts were gold, frankincense and myrrh.
All of these valuable items were standard gifts to honour a king or deity in the ancient world: gold as a precious metal, frankincense as perfume or incense, and myrrh as anointing oil. For example, these same three gifts were among the gifts, recorded in ancient inscriptions, that King Seleucus II Callinicus offered to the god Apollo at the temple in Miletus in 243 B.C.E.
Each of these gifts, when you look into them, represented who Jesus was, what he (and his family) needed and represented his purpose.
“what is the greatest gift?”
Really, there is no definitive answer because this totally depends on your personal situation…
- I’ve seen kids who are given everything who are happy & kids who are given everything who are miserable
- I’ve seen kids who are given very little who are happy & kids who are given very little who are miserable
As a parent, I know there is not much greater joy than giving a present to your kids and seeing their eyes light up because this is exactly what they wanted and it has made them so happy. After all, Christmas really is “the most wonderful time of the year.”
What kids do love though, is for mum or dad to play with their presents with them. As far as building the type of family culture that you really want is concerned, this is even more important than the present itself.
You could try an experiment; Ask your kids what they got last year for Christmas and see how many presents they remember. Chances are, the presents they do remember are either big ones they really wanted, or ones that mum and dad enjoyed with them, spending time with them.
So my thoughts on what makes good gifts are…
- what will bring them great joy, just for the sake of enjoying life?
- can one of the gifts be used to develop who they are as individuals, what they love and possibly their purpose in life? EG: A musical instrument, lego, football…
- what do they need?
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t think there are any definitive answers on the best gift, however, these 3 ideas seem to point out what will make them happy now, and make them happy into the future.
We are developing their natural gifts and passions while having the honour as parents to be involved, not only in giving a gift, but helping our children enjoy life.
Let us know what you think good presents are.
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