Children love Christmas!  They delight in the many sights, sounds and smells of Christmas, but it is the anticipation of opening gifts that excites many of them the most. It brings us immense pleasure to experience their joy and excitement.  We want our children to be happy and pleased with their gifts, but we also desire for them to be grateful.

John Piper preached a sermon entitled, “Proud people don’t say thanks!”  If giving gifts at Christmas is symbolic of The Gift we have been given in Christ Jesus, then the way we respond to those gifts from others should be symbolic of our humble response to God.  

As parents, it is an opportunity for us to model an attitude of thankfulness. For many years, I did not like receiving gifts.  I don’t know if it was because of shyness and not wanting to be the center of attention, or because I did not know how to respond.  Though I am still uncomfortable receiving gifts, I have learned that the way I react not only blesses the giver, but models thankfulness and humility to my children.

Christmas is a time for us to teach our children that showing our appreciation for a gift should not only include our response when we receive the gift, but also the time we take to write a thank-you note. 

Be sure to add “thank-you” notes to your last minute shopping list, and schedule time for your whole family to sit down together and write them.  As Martha would say, “It is a good thing!”

Hallmark cards has excellent suggestions for Christmas thank-you notes here. 

“Tips on Teaching Children of All Ages About Thank You Notes” is another good resource.

Have you considered giving audio books for Christmas?  Audio books can be the perfect gift for all ages.  Our boys were in high school before we began using audio books, but I wish I had used them sooner.  We have not only used audio books for homeschooling, but for much of our entertainment “reading”, as well. 

Reasons you might want to consider audio books:

§         Audio books are great for auditory learners because it greatly increases their ability to learn and improves their vocabulary, especially if they are slow to learn to read.

§         Audio books are great for visual and kinesthetic learners because they encourage them to become better listeners.

§         Audio books make it easier for a homeschooling parent to work with more than one student at a time.

§         Audio books are perfect bedtime stories for older children who don’t want parents to read to them but are too tired to read themselves. 

§         Audio books are also fun to use for variety as bedtime stories for younger children. 

§         Audio books are perfect for those times when you can’t hold a book and read, but wish you could. I absolutely loathe walking on my treadmill, but if I am listening to an audio book my mind is engaged; and if I am listening to a particularly good book, the time almost passes too quickly. 

§         Audio books are excellent for traveling. An audio book could make the drive back home to see family over Christmas much more enjoyable for everyone.

(Adapted from Audiobooks)  

Contributed by:

Patricia Hunter

Press Liaison

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC

phunter@thehomeschoolmagazine.com