After watching a young child display excessive greed while opening his presents, asking over and over again, "What else?" I resolved to instill a sense of gratitude in my own children.
As they enter their pre-teen and teen years, I think my two children have a respect for the generosity of gift-givers and an appreciation for the gifts they receive. One way my husband and I have encouraged a positive attitude toward the largess of Christmas gifts is by adopting St. Nicholas Day traditions in our home.
In European countries, St Nicholas Day is celebrated on Dec 6 when children wake up to gifts of chocolate, oranges and other treats tucked into their shoes. In our house, we fill the shoes with sweets and also fill Christmas stockings with pajamas, Christmas-themed dvds, music, games, and paper products like journals and thank you notes. Everyone, even the the dog, gets a shoe and stocking full of treats and special goodies. It feels like the holiday and Christmas spirit has arrived early! We also take the opportunity to remind the children that St Nicholas was a real person and he was known for his generous gifts, given anonymously, to people who really need them. We talk about the need to give during the holidays, and emphasize having a spirit of gratitude for the gifts you receive.
Hope our experience gives you ideas for your family to take the greed out of Christmas!
More about St. Nicholas and related family activities at: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/
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