Real Abundance – A Christmas Shopping Guideline

There is a BIG difference between this letter written to Santa by a young child in 1915 and any letter to Santa you might read today.  This child is asking for a box of paints, a nine cent reader (a book he needed for school) and  a school bag to put them all in.  He goes on to say that in case Santa has any nuts or candy or toys he could also send along, those would make this 7 year old boy very happy. Things have certainly changed.
If you visit with us often at all you know that your Two Chums are all about abundance.  But there is a difference between abundance and just a lot of stuff.  Clearly you can have what appears to be an abundance of material things but have a very impoverished life.  Likewise, just because you have little materially doesn’t mean you are poor.  It is all about your thinking, and as we have said again and again and again, your ability to be grateful for what you have.

Gratitude isn’t something that comes naturally to most of us.  For most people it is a learned response.  One you can start early to teach your children and grandchildren.  It is hard when our little ones are bombarded day after day with media telling them about all the “things” they should want and “need” and should ask for at Christmas.

We ask ourselves, “How much is TOO much?”  And “Do I want to disappoint them at Christmas…shouldn’t I try and get the things they are asking for?”  “How do I decide what to get and what not to get?”  That question extends beyond young children, I find myself asking it every year.

So when I heard of a little rhyme that suggests how to buy at Christmas, for children and those closest to us, I thought it would be good to share it with our chums.  It suggests that each person gets 4 things from a specific category. You can tell each person ahead of time what your plan is and that you will be buying them:

Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read

Now I think that is brilliant!  It allows for creativity in choosing gifts from each of the 4 categories, it sets reasonable expectations, and it won’t send you into bankruptcy come January.

I am VERY grateful for this guideline.  Knowing what I’m looking for, having a plan and staying focused while I’m shopping, and setting helpful expectations for children will lead to a Christmas rich with all the right things…especially love and joy  🙂