Christmas Is A Time Of Sharing
Written by Joy Fairhall Positive Psychology and Wellbeing specialist
Christmas is a time for giving and receiving and for most of us, that means gifts, physical gifts. However, have you thought about a more meaningful way you can give gifts to each other during the festive season? What if you considered giving an authentic gift that is priceless and becomes a gift that is cherished for life?
Its All About Making Memories
Memories are the real gifts that bring abundance to all our lives. This is a gift that money just can't buy.
We are all guilty of often looking around at what we have and what we don't have. Your definition of wealth plays a large factor in determining your own judgment about your success in your family life. As parents, we rightly want what’s best for our children and to provide for them and most of all we want them to be happy and healthy. When we look at how we provide for them, and we often judge ourselves on how successful we are only on a monetary basis. Do you focus on whether your children have the best clothes, the right brand names or the latest toy or electronic game?
When it comes to raising happy and healthy children we forget to look at where real wealth comes into play. What you provide through support, guidance and love is priceless and what creates lasting memories for your children.
As an adult I’d like you to take a moment and cast your mind back to your childhood Christmases.
Now really think about the Christmas season and see what memories pop up for you. Do you remember every single gift that was in your Santa sack from every year?
Honestly, I bet only a few gifts pop into your mind whereas if I ask you what came to mind first you probably remember the special moments; The excitement of the night before, placing the Santa sack under the Christmas tree and leaving out something for Santa and the reindeers to eat.
Am I right?
What about the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning and running to the Christmas tree? Your childhood is unique, as are your family traditions, so your memories will be different to others, however, how good does it feel to remember?
That’s why we need to remember not to get too caught up in the commercialised business of Christmas at this time of the year. Stop, take a breath and remember where the real wealth at Christmas is for your children, the wealth of memories. Take a moment to see what you can do to create the very best memories that will last forever. These are the memories that your children will always love and cherish.
4 Tips To Create A Wealthy Christmas
1. Create A Memory Jar
Grab a large jar for every member of the family, yourself included. Decorate it however you choose, add a special pen and a notepad and label it with the person’s name and the New Year.
Place the jars in the kitchen or a place where they are visible and ask everyone to write their special memories as they are created onto a note and place it in their jar. Things like tying their own shoelaces, baking biscuits, special family gatherings etc. Then on New Year’s Eve open the jars and share the special memories with each other.
Memory jars are a great way to practice gratitude and to see that most of the memories that are created through the wealth of experiences shared with each other than things that have been bought.
Ready to start making your memory jar and looking for some inspiration?
If you love the idea of a memory jar but don’t want to make one why not buy a family memory jar for your family or one as a unique gift for friends?
2. Be A Selfie Elfie
Put aside a few hours and visit park as a family. Take your phone, some props like funny dress ups, glasses, masks or just have fun. Ask the kids to take photos of you all having fun and vice versa. Take photos of you all pulling funny faces, tickling each other, on the swings, rolling on the grass whatever as long as it’s fun. Fun photos taken without being forced to pose are always the best for making you laugh and creating memories.
When you get home download them straight onto your computer and as a family create a collage of all your favourite photos. Check out software like Canva that you can use for FREE to do this. Now print copies of the collage, laminate and let the kids have a copy for their bedroom wall. You may even like to make this a new tradition and create a Selfie Elfie collage every year.
If you are looking for more inspiration or ways to make this tradition your own check out these 6 Family Photoshoot Ideas
What a great way to see how the families grow.
3. Create A New Tradition
Create a new tradition just for your family. In our family, one of our traditions is for each family member to stir the Christmas pudding before it’s cooked and make a wish. What this tradition sneakily does is gets us all together before the Christmas rush and then as we serve the Christmas pudding on the day we all remember how special we felt and the wish we made some time before.
Your new tradition could be your Memory Jar, or your Selfie Elfie collage or something else entirely. Have a think and as a family creates your own new tradition. You never know your new tradition may just become not so new when your children pass it on down to their families and beyond.
4. Quality Time
In this day and age time is the most precious commodity of all, for time once it’s gone is something you never get back.
Time with your kids is not quality time if your focus is not fully on them. You may be in the same room as them but if you are cooking, watching tv or on your phone, this is not quality time. Give your children the best gift, your fully focused attention and time.
Whatever you do over the festive season remember that you can create your own wealth, your own bank of priceless gifts by creating the most beautiful memories for not only yourself but your children to remember forever.
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