CHRISTmas In A Box

Sadie and a couple of her sweet gifts
Her first Christmas! 2010

 Sadie's first CHRISTmas Tree...you can see Jesus' box in the front center in green Santa paper, its a shoe box wrapped and has a slit/cut-out in the top center...the other box is to the left in red and snowflakes (one is from Sadie and one from Avery- to Jesus)

Cautiousness is Ryan's best and worst quality. Avery is her daddy made over, so the whole idea of surprises or Santa is a bit scary! She wasn't sure if she should be excited to meet Santa much less be excited on his delivery of presents to our house. Avery and Sadie get three gifts and a stocking. Three because Jesus got three gifts. Eventually the three will take on meaning (when the girls understand this...) one gift for physical growth, one gift for spiritual growth, and the third for emotional growth/age appropriate...example clothes, a Bible, and Barbies.

The first gift always goes to Jesus. Each girl has a box wrapped under our tree that never gets unwrapped until they are adults. The box is "To Jesus from Avery, and Sadie has one for Jesus too. Each year the girls will"give" Jesus a gift. They write something on a piece of paper they will give to Jesus and place in the box (there is a slit in the top). An example of something they would write is: I will clean my room with our complaining, or I will say my prayers every night. Until they can write or tell me what to write for them, I have written in honor of them something I will give to Jesus. I would share, but those are my private gifts to Jesus for my babies. Every year the boxes get placed under the tree before any other gift goes under and they are the last thing to pack away. I hope that when my girls are adults and open their boxes and read they notes they see how much their love for Christ and faith have grown in their hearts and discover the true meaning of CHRISTmas through the faith of a child.

And no, this was not my idea. My mom heard about it and told me. It's never too late to start this tradition at your home. After all, we lay or gifts at Jesus' feet or at the foot of the cross, and the CHRISTmas tree represents the tree that Jesus was crucified upon. Why not place out first gifts on HIS birthday at the foot of the cross?

Meanings:

CHRISTmas tree- the tree of crucifixion

Wreath on your door- the wreath of thorns on Jesus' head

Candy Cane- the Shepard's crook, Jesus was first visited by the Shepard's and HE is our Shepard

Gifts- because Jesus received gifts and GAVE HIS LIFE, the ultimate gift

Santa- gift giver, Jesus is the ultimate giver of gifts

Star on top of your tree- the star that led the Shepard's to Christ

Nativity- to remind us of the humble birth and beginning of God's love and how simple/humble the circumstances Jesus was born in means it is even more simple to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior (all you do is ask Him to come into your heart)

Angel on top of your tree- the angel who told Mary she was to conceive, the angel whole "brings good tidings of great JOY!

Candles/Christmas lights- the bright light (star) that the Shepard's followed and that the light of the World, is Jesus

Red and Green- The red is the blood Jesus shed for you and the Green is the life you will have when you accept Him as your Lord and Savior

I would love to share more with you if you would like to know how to give your life to Christ and have HIM be the focus of your home and your 2011 CHRISTmas. Please contact me. Jesus is waiting!