Around this time of year, there’s always a lot of gift giving going on to show people that we love and appreciate them. And of course, there’s no better people for us to show that to than our family.
While Christmas is a wonderful time to express our love through generosity and gift giving, I’ll bet that there are some things that your family wants more from you than just more stuff. Even more than they want all of the goodies that you can give them, they really just want more of YOU.
So, if you’d like to give them what they really want for Christmas, you have two options: you can either tape a big red bow to the top of your head and mummify yourself in wrapping paper, or… you can simply do these four easy things to G.I.F.T. yourself to your family:
G-IVE them what they really deserve
You may think that they deserve that new outfit or a new toy, but the truth is that what they really deserve most is The Very Best of You—your intentional presence, your listening ear, and your love and affection. Give your family the best version of you that there is.
Your kids deserve a parent who is engaged, present, kind, playful, patient, and unselfish. Your husband or wife deserves a spouse that is understanding, helpful, flexible, romantic, generous, and sacrificial.
Gift yourself to your family this Christmas, and I guarantee you it will mean more to them than any other gift that they’ll find under the tree (those will just be bonus gifts)! If you’d like more ideas on this, Here are 5 things your kids want from you at Christmastime more than just more stuff.
I-NCLUDE them in your holiday planning
Let’s face it, Christmastime is a busy time of the year. As you plan out your schedule and calendar, be intentional about what you do and don’t participate in. And make sure your family takes top priority in such a way that they know it.
Here are a few good questions to consider as you plan out your December schedule:
- Will participating in this activity keep me from giving my family the priority that they deserve?
- What holiday activities can we participate in together as a family?
- Which activities can we participate in that will create lasting family memories?
- What can we participate in that will benefit someone other than just ourselves?
- Which “useless” activities can we say no to, in order to say yes to something better?
F-IND ways to make them feel special & loved.
Yes, you love your family, but how are you going to tangibly show it to them this December? Here are some simple ideas on my list this month that may help you to get your creative juices flowing:
- Buy that Christmas specialty coffee drink for your wife or daughter.
- Play some “NFL” football with your boys out in the freezing cold (just to keep it real).
- Make your spouse a coupon book for the 12 days of Christmas.
- Sit down and have a one on one conversation with each person in your family, and honestly tell them in specific ways what they mean to you.
Whatever you decide to do, find some ways to “show the love” by gifting yourself to those you love.
T-ALK about their dreams for the coming year
This is something that I’m excited about doing this month—sitting down with each person in our family, and listening to their heart. This involves asking them honest and somewhat pointed questions about the past year, as well as their dreams and desires for the coming year. (If you’d like a sneak peek, you can see my list of questions here.) I do this annually with each of our kids, and am usually pleasantly surprised by their honest and open feedback.
As parents, we can sometimes get so busy with life that we rarely stop to just sit and listen to our kids and what their hearts are trying to tell us. They have desires, dreams, goals, frustrations, and struggles just like we do, and at times we don’t even know what all of those things are. Maybe not because they won’t tell us, but because we haven’t taken the time to ask or to listen.
God has called us to help our family succeed, and one of the ways we can do that is by engaging with what’s in their heart, and then gifting ourself to them by committing to come alongside in the coming year to help make those things a reality.
Don’t just give your family gifts this Christmas, gift yourself to them as the greatest present of all. And remember, Jesus is our ultimate example who gifted himself to a world that he loved… “For the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
What are some other ways that you plan to gift yourself to your family this Christmas?
