Saturday, December 3, 2011

Little Ones and Christmas

by Maria MoonStar

I remember when my children were small, seven and four. My daughter would scream from downstairs on Christmas Day, and my son would run upstairs, yelling for me to get up, even though it was six o’clock in the morning. Of course, the husband always slept through the morning, missing his kids tearing open their stockings.
Now, I cringe when I think of Christmas.  Oh, don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas, sending out cards, gifts, and just the magic that one can find during this time. What I’m referring to now is my now sixteen-year-old daughter’s one-item Christmas list. My son’s twelve and has only one thing on his list, too, this Christmas!
That one thing: an iPad! Excuse me, but two iPads would be more then I’ve paid for both of their Christmas yet! What happened to being able to go to the dollar store to fill up their stockings? A crying laugh escapes me. Now it costs me over a hundred bucks just for their stocking stuffers!
 I don’t want to go back in time, changing diapers, having to find babysitters, and dealing with the terrible twos, but I do miss the appreciation, the smiles to see Santa, the time together when we did our baking. Today it’s all hurry, give me this, give me that, and yuck, I don’t want that.
I’ve seen more spoiled kids in the last two years than I’m able to count, but then I see the children who get nothing, too. The only thing that makes me consider getting my children the item they want is because of their generosity throughout the year.
Both of my children will give up what they have to give to their friends. This year alone my son has given away all of his football gear to his one friend whose parents would rather spend their money on getting high than taking care of their child.
So, when my children ask me for this gift, I look back over the year, and see all the good they have done. Daughter needed a new winter coat, because she gave hers to a friend who didn’t have one, knowing myself or my mom would replace it. Son gave up his school supplies to the same child who needed the football equipment, so his friend would not flunk his class, because he had no paper or pencils to write with.

Mrs. Santa Claus starts planning out her monies for said two gifts, because even with all the yelling, the screaming, my children know what it is to help others and that is what the meaning of Christmas is all about to me: helping others. May all of you have a wonderful Christmas and may all your dreams come true.

**One lucky person who leaves a comment on this blog 
will win a ten dollar gift card to Wal-Mart. Good Luck!**

Maria MoonStar
http://mariamoonstar.com

21 comments:

  1. Sounds like you have two wonderful children who understand giving. They both seem to have very good taste. If I had just one gift on my list it would be a IPad.

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  2. We have the this philosophy for our son (as he thinks more about himself then others, I would rather he thought of others first, like your children did/do) - he gets one big gift (meaning big price tag) and then some small things (like his DS games, used). If I could pick just one thing for my Christmas gift, it would be to give a child a home that needed it, whether it be through Fostering (I am a Foster Mom) or through Adoption (we adopted out son). Knowing I could give that child a safe place to stay, just makes my heart swell.

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  3. I know how you feel about teenage Christmas lists. I think it's fantastic though that you children have learned to help their friends who are in need. Not many teenagers do that any more. My daughter is the same way. She will give a friend her shirt off her back if they need it. Good luck on getting them their iPads. My daughter is lucky this year because I won one is a contest and she's getting it.
    Merry Christmas

    koonie2888 at yahoo dot com

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  4. Sounds like you have a couple of great kids. As for the iPads... I say skip the stockings (or fill it with fruit!) and use that money to help pay for the iPads. (Think of the rest of it as the money you saved on not needing babysitters.)

    *hugs* And try to have a Merry Christmas :)

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  5. What a sweet and touching post. Your kids are rare, indeed. They are are true reflection of you and your husband.

    Thanks,
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 at gmail dot com

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  6. That's beautiful, Maria. Please tell them thank you from the rest of us for taking care of their world and having a generous spirit.
    (great job, Mommy!)

    Heather

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  7. So beautiful, Maria!

    Carrie Ann

    carrieannryanwrites@gmail.com

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  8. Thank you all. My kids have now decided on the Kindle Fire. They know money is tight so they have agreed.
    Maria.

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  9. When I was growing up, once we received the Sears Christmas catalog we would go through it and writing our list. We knew never to ask for anything that was too expensive. Those days are gone now. Thank you for the great giveaway. Enjoy your holidays!

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  10. My kids use to wait for the Toy's R Us catalog, they still like to go through it, but it's usually for electronics or games.
    I figured for this year everyone could use help so a gift card seemed perfect.

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  11. Maria,

    I think it's wonderful that your children are so generous!

    I was going to suggest the Kindle Fire too. I think they'll love it. I know a lot of my friends are getting their children one for Christmas.

    elena(at)elenagray.com

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  12. What wonderful kids you have. Most adults wouldn't be that generous.You must be very proud of them.
    elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

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  13. Wow, your children are true examples of generous spirits. I'm sure you're very proud.

    Merry Christmas! :)

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  14. You got some good kids there! We help with the less fortunate during the holidays so our teenager also understands helping others in need. So very important and I wish schools would require volunteer work!

    Thank you for the givewaway!

    books4me67 at ymail dot com

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  15. What lovely children you have!!!! It's a problem when there's so much electronic gadgetry around that costs so much! It's no wonder they all want the same thing. I remember when my mum used to put nuts and an orange in my stocking. I wouldn't dare do that to my kids. They'd kill me.

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  16. Yes, it's a lot more expensive to get kids what they want for Christmas. They want such adult things and the more high tech the better. My family can't afford much of anything and luckily my younger siblings understand that. We do alot of making gifts and one or two little ones.

    Thanks so much for being here and for the awesome giveaway!

    joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

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  17. More of us need to teach our children to give, and not to want so much all the time. We don't celebrate in a big way any more, but we love to be with family and friends. lisagk(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  18. Oh, i love the sound of this! One book ill definitely be looking into. ;) Thanks for sharing!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

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  19. Maria, you must be so proud of your kids! I know I am, and I don't even know them!! No wonder you are considering the iPads. *hugs*

    I have bigger ticket items to look for for my 13 y/o. She is going to Italy, Sicily and Greece next summer as a student ambassador and she will need certain things. I am hoping some of what she wants/needs for this trip is on sale AFTER Christmas! :p

    Merry Christmas, Maria.

    Stacy Wilson

    dragn_lady at yahoo dot com

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  20. It sounds like your children have been raised well. It is no wonder you are thinking of giving them the iPads. But it is so much easier when children are younger. My nieces & nephews are at the age now that I really have no ideas about.
    Hope you have a great holiday.
    manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com

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  21. Those high dollar, single item Christmas wish lists are hard, but you have done a great job with your kids, if they are willing to give the coat or football gear right off their backs to help someone else, anytime of the year.

    drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com

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