Meaning of Christmas

I dont know if this is the wise men thing but i get my kids a total of 6 gifts: 2 things they NEED, 2 things they WANT, 2 things to help them grow spiritually.

It is nice to know that people are seeking to find the true meaning of Christmas. I did not read the article, but the meaning behind the gifts of the Magi is one of self sacrifice from kings and princes in their native lands, and recognizing who they were honoring with their gifts. Gold the most lasting and richest of gifts. A gift given from the abundance of their understanding in their hearts of the needs of His family to survive. Frankincense and myrrh were two of the riches spices and oils that could be given. In that time period, these were the spices and oils used for burial to preseve the body. They honored Jesus with gifts to symbolize His birth and His impending sacrifice on the cross for our salvation. This is a season that celebrates His brith, which also begins His journey to the cross. For by His death and ressurection we have eternal life forever with God.
I am an ordained minister, and each Christmas my family reads from Luke Chapter 2 and Matthew Chapter 1 to get the true meaning of Christmas. By acknowledging our believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah God sent as a permanent attonement for our sin, believing in our hearts that He died and rose on the third day is salvation. It is not any more complicated than that. I hope this helped, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family

I`m not sure of the 3 gifts of the wisemen, but I`ve been for the last few years been trying to stick with the motto for Christmas with 4 gifts. Something to Read, Wear, Need and Want. Christmas isn`t really about the gifts anyway , right?
I am interested in the 3 gifts, so I`ll keep looking.~ Y.

I always did that with my kids (3 presents)who are now 22,26, and 26. To get away from materialism. We frequently did a birthday cake for Jesus and when we opened gifts reminded them they were in rememberance of HIS birthday. Advent wreath during desert on the table at dinner was also a nice tradition.

Hi T.,
My husband and I decided to go with that option, too. I never read an article about it, but I think I got the idea from Kathie Lee Gifford. If Jesus received only 3 gifts, why should our kids receive more? This year we decided that Santa would bring 3 presents and that the big gift (a tricycle!) would be from us. It actually makes the shopping a little easier; when I limit myself to just 3 gifts, I'm much more selective about what I decide to buy. If I wasn't limiting myself, I'm sure I would buy much more. And with this economy, it's nice to spend less on the Christmas shopping.
Maybe you could concentrate more on the religious aspect of Christmas. Light advent candles, go to church as a family, read the story of Jesus' birth in the bible. I think that your 18 year old is old enough to understand any changes that you make for Christmas this year. And the 4 and 3 year olds are young enough that they won't have high expectations from previous years - how much do they remember at that age? I'm sure at this age they will probably hang on your every word if you talk to them about Christmas being Jesus' birthday. They'll ask lots of questions and learn so much! You're going in the right direction - best of luck to you!

Growing up we only got 1 gift. For our boys we do not get Christmas gifts at all(their b-days are a week after).MY husband's parents get our boys lots of stuff though. Even though we asked this year for just 1 thing, they already got 6........ahhhh not to sound ungreatful or anything, but kids wait for Christmas to get stuff nowdays.

HI,
I remember that from Wondertime magazine... gold was something you want, I think myrrh was something for the body, and I too have been trying to remember the symbolism of the 3rd. But it was definitely last month's wondertime issue, and a page full of paragraphs from different families and their traditions. We want to go the same route -- our kids need so very little, and don't even want much (they're 3 and 6 months) but people love to buy for little people. They don't get the simpler lifestyle!

Here I thought I was being all unique thinking up this idea and come to find out articles have already been written about it...guess my thought wasn't so original!! Anyway, I guess I don't have much to add to the other responses other than to tell you that we have chosen to give our kids three gifts because Jesus got three gifts from the wisemen. Then "Santa" fills the stockings with little things. Because my kids are young I am focusing mostly on learning gifts this year (they are 2 and 3 this Christmas). We also bake a cake for Jesus together and sing Happy Birthday on Christmas day after dinner. As I was decorating the house with my kids on Friday, we talked about the Christmas Story as we put the nativity scene up and the stickers of the nativity on the windows. As a precurser to Christmas we talk a lot about what Christmas really means and we also have a great book about Saint Nicholas and how he brought gifts and left them in people's stockings to share Jesus' love with others....then I connect that with Santa being that another name for Santa is St. Nick. We also do a lot of talking about giving to others who don't have what we do....my oldest even took a dollar to the store today and rather than asking to get something he said "I want to give it to the man" (meaning the bell ringer for the salvation army!) I was almost in tears!! I hope that wasn't totally overkill!! (sorry, I did tend to ramble!)

As a kid, in my family of seven kids, we all got ONE gift for Christmas and we were happy with what we got. We really were! My parents had us tell them what we wanted and we were told if it was reasonable or not. There were bills to be paid and food to put on the table. My favorite Christmas gift as a kid was my Lazy Dazy doll. We'd all get a small gift in our stocking as well, small stuffed animal usually, and my mother made homemade treats to put in the stockings. My sister Colleen has always given her 3 kids 3 gifts each, to go along with the fact that Baby Jesus got 3 gifts. I shared this with one of the moms at school with her 8 year old daughter standing there, paying attention to our conversation. The mom thought it was a wonderful idea, but when she walked away a while later, the little girl looked at me and in a voice as if to say; "What are you doing?!" she told me; "I got ten gifts last year." No smile on her face and she walked away. LOL! It was so comical! I'm pretty sure that kid hates me now (LOL!)..... oh well! My husband and I don't ever have the funds to go overboard with our sons and they are cool with what they get that we can afford. :) Christmas is what you make it. We always make sure it is both spiritual and fun. Good luck.
D. N. xo

What your talking about is Three Kings Day or what I've heard people call Little Christmas which is on Jan 6th. It is to celebrate the arrival of the 3 kings to see baby Jesus. It is usaully a spanish tradition to give the kids 3 small gifts, one from each king. The 3 gifts should be something small, and not too expensive. In the bible the 3 kings bought, Frankensense (sp?), gold, and myrth. I wish I remembered which chapter in the bible-it's the section on the birth of Christ. I hope this helps you some!

I think it is wonderful what you are planning on doing. I wish I was as disciplined. I really cannot add anything to the other responses that would help except that I think you are doing a wonderful thing. Merry Christmas!

Hi T.,

I was just watching the 700 Club the other night and this lady Marcia Ramsland was on and has a book out on how to simplify christmas. She had some great ideas and she also talked about 3 gifts representing the gifts the wisemen gave to Jesus. If you can't get this link I sent you, go to CBN.com and there is a video segment on Marcia.

http://www.cbn.com/media/index.aspx?s=/vod/SUE126_MarciaR...

Hope this helps!
K.

HI T., I have not heard of this tradition but I do know that other countries, Europe, South America and Mexico follow the tradition of giving gifts on January 6 which is when the Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem after following the Star. Maybe some of the other moms will tell you more. Grandma Mary

I really appreciate this Q and the posts. My daughter is 4 mths old. While too young to understand the holidays this year, we want to start our traditions - and get our family trained! Isn't that the hard part - getting the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins to follow along so your child doesn't get mixed messages?! My question is, if we do the three gifts to her within our household, what kind of parameters do you ask the family and friends to follow? One gift from each? One gift from each side of the family? How do you politely request only certain things so that she doesn't get toys we disapprove of or things she doesn't need?

What I have done so far is send a nice letter to all stating that she's too young this year, has all she needs, family time or a small, personal letter/photo/poem,etc from you as a keepsake is enough.

Hi T.,
After reading these articles I am considering doing things differently with our gift giving as well. I am soo tired of Christmas being made out to be materialistic and complicated, when its true meaning is about God's gift to us. My daughter's never know what they want for Christmas as their birthdays are close enough to it anyway. Thank you all for your input and wisdom about this very special and cherished time of year.