Dear Friends
& Family members,
The holidays
are just around the corner and that means we’re all gearing up for the Most
WONDERFUL time of the year...
Our family
this year has been really thinking about Christmas and what it all means to
us. Each Christmas Season we rack our
brains on the perfect gifts for our kids. We spend way more money than we
should and we end up with a whole lot of “Stuuufff” that we don’t really need. This
year we asked our kids what they really wanted for Christmas and they couldn’t
really come up with valid wholesome Christmas gifts. Other than Gideon wanting a Xbox (once again...
in which we will never get him.) Then when
we asked what they really like from past Christmas gifts and they really couldn’t
remember what they got. All those wonderful things family and friends bought
them and they can't remember much of anything.
So, after
long consideration and thoughtful prayer we decided that we are not going to
make Christmas any more consumeristic than it already is. The Buck family officially and formally asks
for no consumer gifts from you this year. We are healthy, happy, clothed,
fed and loved. We have more than we need and really shouldn’t long for anything.
In December
we’re going to start our annual Advent celebration. It’s a daily time we look at our lives and
walk with Christ, but this year we’re adding on to that. We’re also going to do 24 days of ACTS of
KINDNESS. This is going to help our
children see that it is far better to give thoughtfully than it is to get any pretty wrapped up (panini
press.. yes I really want one of those) gift under the Christmas tree. We know we are called to serve and we are learning
to be more purposeful in cultivating our servant hearts.
We do still
plan to get our kids a couple things because there is no better joy, than
seeing them open gifts on Christmas morning, but we are changing the way we do
it all and we hope that you will respect our wishes and be inspired to do the
same.
Even though
we are not wanting you to buy us something we do want a different kind of gift
from you. We want you to be inspired to
do Acts of kindness as well! These are a
few ideas of some of the things we plan/hope to do and if you are inspired
please do a few as well... there can never be too many acts of kindness at
Christmas!
- Go to a Christmas church service especially if you haven’t ever been
- Give money to the pan-handler even if you don’t think they should be pan-handling
- Pay for someone else in the drive thru or leave a really big tip for your wait staff
- Donate toys to a toys for tots or other toy drive
- Send letters to soldiers
- Home make your Christmas gifts
- Donate food to a food pantry
- Visit with a sick or elderly person
- Take Treats to your fire station or police station
- Fulfill an Angel Tree request
- Fill an operation Christmas child box
- Give sweet treats to your letter carrier
- Join a run or walk that raises money for charity
- Take a home cooked meal to someone in need
- Be Cheerful, smile as often as you can, and cherish the small things
- Rake leaves or shovel snow for someone
- Make a contribution in someone’s honor or in memory of
- Take cookies to emergency room staff on Christmas Eve
- Volunteer to ring the Salvation Army Bell or at least throw some money in when you pass it by
- Pay for a widow’s groceries
- Support a Missionary ... we have names of some really great ones if you need one
- Thank your pastors and church staff
- Visit a nursing home
- Donate Blood
- Give hot chocolate to your trash collectors
- Hand out flowers to people at the mall
- Invite someone to Christmas dinner who would otherwise be spending the Holiday’s alone
May God’s
blessings be poured out on you and your family this year and beyond!
In Christ
Alone,
The Buck family
