the 12 boxes that changed the Cosper Christmas

My children are getting older, and I will admit that so am I ;) With that change we have discovered a different spirit of Christmas. Now we have taught our kids the meaning of Christmas we hold dear to our heart. I will never forget McKay's 3rd Christmas. We were telling him that presents were nice, but that it wasn't why we celebrate Christmas. I bent down to that sweet little innocent face (I miss that face sometimes, 12 year olds are not as easy) and simply said Christmas is Jesus Christ's birthday. He then with an inquisitive look asked "where is his birthday cake?" so for many years we had Birthday cake for breakfast on Christmas morning. We have had many fun exciting traditions, one of the kids favorites has always been the 12 boxes.

When I first came across these boxes at Costco one year, I thought we could make a fun tradition that would last for generations. That first year was an exhilarating treasure hunt, as I shopped dollar stores and clearance racks ( yep I'm one of those :) It wasn't to challenging that first year, we only had two kids at that time. As the years and number of kids increased finding four oibjects to fit in the first few tiny boxes became one of my most challenging Christmas to do's. Toothbrushes, special Christmas socks, their personal ornament of the year...and last but not least the coveted Christmas pajama pants on Christmas Eve. I will always remember those years with a smile.

I know that when I first started my medical journey, it changed the way I saw life, time and gifts. A gift is so much more than a present. I also started focusing on what was important, really important. It is a scary thing to think about the possible shortening of your life at the age of 31, but Oh so eye opening...and hey I am still here...and plan on sticking around for a long time ;) Ok so off my little soap box... I have always enjoyed the GIVING of Christmas and saw that as an important principle I wanted my children to understand know and feel. As they, like stated before are getting older... I thought about how I could teach them how to celebrate Christmas with giving, not so much as getting. We had a few tight Christmas's when we participated in Micron's layoff extravaganza. We short sold our house and spent a few months without work and a dwindling savings account. My kids were great sports. From that experience they now enjoy making each other their exchange gifts. Not a time I would like to revisit, but grateful for the learning experiences we got out of it. 

At first I was nervous that I was destroying "family traditions"and I almost didn't proceed, I decided that I wasn't erasing the tradition, it was just evolving. The next obstacle was "talking my kids into the same idea"

It was going to be a big change and I prepared myself for resistance. As we sat down two years ago, I smiled and hoped for the best. Here went nothing.

I talked for a bit, reminding them about what Christmas was all about. Not presents, but GIFTS. A gift from our Father in Heaven. A gift we could not repay. I want to give like that, and teach you how to give like that too. To give something that can not be repaid. They know what doing service is, and we have enjoyed many fun ring and run operations in our past. So I asked... what would you think if we took our 12 boxes and instead of me filling them with things for ourselves, we fill them with service for others. It is Christ's Birthday after all and we should be giving something to him. I held my breath..and actually closed my eyes for a second, slightly peeking out to see the reaction. I mean I know my kids are good kids, but they are kids and not by any means perfect.I was asking a 10, 8, 6, and 4 year old to give up 12 guarenteed Christmas gifts...every year. 

Suprisingly the first voice came from my little four year old ( I will remember this moment with pride, joy and total shock, as it meant she actually listened to our family home evening lessons, well atleast once)

" Like ...if you have done it unto the least of these"? Deep breath..one down. Yep I said, instead of getting presents for ourselves we are going to be able to do service for others, and that is a gift to Christ for his Birthday. 

Next came the oldest two.. they got a paper and pencil and began writing down ideas...WOW I thought this is amazing, Goosebumps covered my arms and tears filled my eyes. They started with people they thought could use help. Last to speak up was my 6 year old..."What are we talking in the way of SIZE... how big or how small can the gift be?" We decided that we could do service for anybody, and it could be as simple as sharing a smile and well as big as buying a goat for a family in a third world country. The list is actually getting longer and I HOPE that they see the difference in the I want lists and the 12 box list. Each day we do a service for someone and put one box inside the next...filling the last big box with 11 other boxes of love and service.

I will say that the beautiful moments we enjoy with the 12 boxes, are not always perfect.(The conversation was ended and we are back to our normal selves...complete with a fit about who took the toast out of the toaster;)  We are not perfect, but the moment was, the time we spend helping and serving others can be. I wanted to change what my children thought about gifts and Christmas, and it is I that was taught how simple it is to Love one Another. How we are the tools our Heavenly Father can use to share his love. This Christmas I can not help but want to shout "Hallelujah" from the roof top, McKay said that this might be a better place for me to share my Christmas spirit, and slightly a less embarrassing possibility for a 12 year old boy. ;) Merry Christmas <3