The beginning of Advent is only a few weeks away and many of us are already buying gifts and trying to figure out how to cut back on the rampant consumerism that sweeps through the season. Helping kids to enjoy the blessing of giving rather than receiving at Christmas is a huge challenge. The list below is adapted from one that I found in Parent Map.
Support Kids of the World: Helping your children understand that other kids don’t have the privileges they do and need their help can be an enjoyable experience. I love what VIVA, a UK based organization does in sponsoring Christmas parties in poor communities around the world. They are engaged in many ways to help keep children at risk safe and healthy.
Buy a livelihood for families. Gifts that provide a livelihood for those who struggle with hunger and poverty can be particularly meaningful as they empower children and make them realize we can all make a difference in this world. World Concern and Heifer Project are just a couple of the organizations that now provide opportunities for the giving of livestock – from chickens to cattle. Tearfund UK has a program where you buy a gift voucher and then the recipient decides what they will give. This might be more fun for some kids.
Donate a Bedtime story. Many families have few or no age-appropriate books in their home and kids miss out on the important literacy-building ritual of bedtime stories. First Book is a nonprofit that works to distribute new books to low-income families in schools in the U.S. and Canada.
Hold a Make Something Party. Some years ago, the Buy Nothing Day campaign started to counteract the Black Friday shopping frenzy of North American Culture. A group in Southern California started a Make Something Day instead. I love the positive spin on this. Organize a party where your kids can help make gifts for underprivileged kids in your communities. There is something very special about a gift that has been handcrafted. I can guarantee that the recipient will hold onto it for years to come. (Can easily be done virtually! Send out a list of needed items before you host the video chat party so everyone has what they need to craft “together” online).
Make a Loan, Help a Family. This is a great suggestion for older kids that you not only want to encourage to give but who you also want to learn about investing and financial responsibility. KIVA and Hope International are two of the many Christian organization that facilitate micro-lending.
Shed a Light on a Brighter Future. One Million Lights is a nonprofit that aims to provide sustainable, usable lights to homes without electricity in developing countries through a buy-one-give-one model. Buy solar-charged lanterns and you keep one and a family in need gets the other – a brilliant (pardon the pun) idea.
Give Hope for Tomorrow: Plant a Tree, Invest in a Farmer. In the Plant with A Purpose alternative gift catalogue, a tree only costs $10 and to invest in a farmer is $22. I think that this type of gift can be a wonderful educational tool to help children understand the consequences of environmental degradation. Again, the fact that we can actually do something to change the situation can be very empowering for young people.
Invite International Students Over for Christmas. There are lots of international students who do not have anywhere to go for Christmas. Consider inviting some over on either Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Contact your local college or university to find out how to extend this invitation. We have done this for the last couple of years. It has become a real highlight of the Christmas season for us. At the same time, get your kids to read up on Christmas traditions from around the world as suggested above.
Buy Fair Trade or Locally Produced for all your Purchases. A growing number of organizations provide fair traded gift items. Ten Thousand Villages is one one that we have frequented for years. Another possibility is One World Futbol’s smart soccer ball requires no pumping and never goes flat. Each time you purchase one, another is donated to a community in need. Or, for those that live in the Seattle area take you kids on a tour of Theos Chocolates and end by purchasing gifts for all the family.
Protect the World’s Animals. You might like to adopt an animal at your local zoo or contribute to an animal shelter or participate in one of the World Wild Life’s projects. One of my standard Christmas gifts is National Wildlife Federation’s monthly magazines – Ranger Rick and Ranger Rick Jr. It is an award-winning educational magazine that provides entertainment and instruction throughout the year.
Memories for the New Year. Gift each other with a memory book or video. Reflect on the previous year and capture children’s memories that can become part of your family and church story.
Christmas Gifts that Won’t Break provides weekly Advent reading, looks at spiritual gifts that bring hope, peace, joy, and love to family, community, and world and challenges people to rethink the gifts they ask for and give during the Advent and Christmas seasons.
Consider donating to Christmas Backpacks where you can “share a gift of love and the Gospel with a child in need”.
Truceteachers.org has an excellent guide with ideas for toy buying during the Christmas season. Some of their suggestions are be thoughtful, plan a family experience together like going for a hike, a bike ride, or helping out a neighbor and be creative. They also have resources about children and media that could be helpful when thinking through what to purchase for your child this year.
Some ideas for families and kids from The Minimalist Mom on how to simplify their toys. Believe it or not, kids enjoy gifts their family or friends have made far more than expensive storebought ones.
- Only give gifts of homemade toys and or crafts
- Give toys away at Christmas rather than accumulating more.
- Host a toy exchange with friends.
This is part of a series on Christmas/Advent resources.
- Advent Activities for Families and Kids for 2020
- Helping Kids Give Back This Christmas
- Celebrate With Simplicity This Christmas
- Advent/Christmas Music from a Rich Array of Traditions
- Getting Ready for Advent/Christmas Worship Resources for the Season
- Choosing Your Scripture Readings for the Coming Year
- Who Will You Invite to the Manger?
- Advent Candle Light Liturgy
- What On Earth Are The O Antiphons
Resources from Godspace for Advent and Christmas
Godspace has a variety of resources available for celebrating this season.
- NEW DEVOTIONAL! Lean Towards the Light this Advent & Christmas + Advent Cards Bundle compiled by Christine Sine and Lisa DeRosa
- Lean Towards the Light Advent Retreat Online – video sessions by Christine Sine along with handouts to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child this Advent.
- A Journey Toward Home: Soul Travel For Advent to Lent compiled by Kristin Carroccino and Christine Sine
- Waiting for the Light: An Advent Devotional compiled by Ricci Kilmer, Susan Wade and Christine Sine
- Prayer Cards – more than Christmas gifts. These have been used for daily devotions, grief counselling, small groups and congregational prayers.
Check out the entire resource list here for more ideas for Advent and Christmas.
Godspace has a number of Advent resources available for both free download and purchase. Visit our store.
In my post, Come to the Manger Who Will You Invite?, I shared that Kenneth Bailey believes Jesus’ family was not abandoned in a stable but was surrounded by friends and family at his birth. To this birth celebration the shepherds, outcasts from their society, and the wise men, Gentile foreigners were also invited. Bailey also points out that Jesus did not come in the expected place or way. The Jews expected that through the birth of the Messiah great things would happen in the city of Jerusalem and through this the city would be glorified.
Although the glorious events projected for honouring the city of Jerusalem never happened, the Gospel authors perceived them to be taking place in the birth of Jesus. Around the CHILD there was a great light and the glory of the Lord appeared. To the CHILD came Arab wise men from the desert on camels bringing gold and frakincense. Shepherds visited the CHILD, not the city. The great hopes for the city were transferred to the child in a manger. Indeed, the glory of the Lord shone around about the CHILD. This shift from the city to the child is significant.
The birth stories de-Zionise the tradition. Hopes and expectations for the city are seen as fulfilled in the birth of the child. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, (54)
This idea has made me wonder: What are the unexpected places in which Jesus is appearing? And who do we welcome to the manger? Who else should we invite to this celebration that may otherwise be ignored or excluded – the prostitutes, the sex traffickers, those in prison, people of other racial backgrounds, other religions, other sexual persuasions, the poor and the homeless, even those we are estranged from. Do we think there is a place for everyone at the manger? If so how do we extend that invitation so that these people feel welcome?
As I mentioned in my previous post, one of the reflections in our new devotional, A Journey Toward Home, is about the French custom of santons, a French custom in which clay models of villagers are positioned around the manger bringing their gifts to the Christ child.
I love this idea of all our neighbours, those we enjoy and those we don’t want to have anything to do with, clustered around the manger, invited into that place of intimate hospitality with God. So let’s create our own “santons” this Advent and Christmas season, santons of words, photos, and actions, not figures of clay.
This concept will be the focus for the Advent/Christmas posts on the blog this year. When I first posted this invitation, several people responded with their ideas of where and how we could gather with friends and strangers around the manger in church, in homeless shelters, in refugee camps, on the borders that keep out the unwanted. I am also making this my personal focus for the season and invite you to join me.
Create Your Own Come to the Manger Wreath.
What are the unexpected places in which you have seen the Christ child appear and the gospel story be lived out?
Who are the friends and strangers you will welcome to the manger this year?
Read Hebrews 12:1-3 several times slowly.
Sit in silence for a few minutes thinking of those you would like to see around the manger. What places come to mind? Where are the unexpected places that the gospel story is being lived out? Who are the people that you think of? What family, friends and neighbours do you see yourself together with? Who are those that have died – family, mentors and saints through the ages whose lives inspired and encouraged you? Who have you ignored or turned your back on that needs to be welcomed? Who have you despised as the shepherds were despised? Perhaps you need to seek forgiveness and invite them to the circle around the manger? Who are the foreigners that should be there? Perhaps people of other faiths, cultures and sexual orientation?
- Now get together a piece of white poster board, a pair of scissors and some glue.
- Print out the manger scene above or photograph your own nativity scene and paste it in the centre of the poster board.
- Find photos, paintings, icons or other images of those who came to your mind. Print them out.
- Glue them in a wreath around the image of the manger. Leave some space for more images to be added as they come to mind.
- Hang it in a prominent place in your home.
Use it as focus for prayer throughout the Advent and Christmas season. Add photos and images as you are interact with other members of your community who should be included.
Send us your photos and tell us your stories.
This is part of a series on Christmas/Advent resources.
- Advent Activities for Families and Kids for 2020
- Helping Kids Give Back This Christmas
- Celebrate With Simplicity This Christmas
- Advent/Christmas Music from a Rich Array of Traditions
- Getting Ready for Advent/Christmas Worship Resources for the Season
- Choosing Your Scripture Readings for the Coming Year
- Who Will You Invite to the Manger?
- Advent Candle Light Liturgy
- What On Earth Are The O Antiphons
Resources from Godspace for Advent and Christmas
Godspace has a variety of resources available for celebrating this season.
- NEW DEVOTIONAL! Lean Towards the Light this Advent & Christmas + Advent Cards Bundle compiled by Christine Sine and Lisa DeRosa
- Lean Towards the Light Advent Retreat Online – video sessions by Christine Sine along with handouts to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child this Advent.
- A Journey Toward Home: Soul Travel For Advent to Lent compiled by Kristin Carroccino and Christine Sine
- Waiting for the Light: An Advent Devotional compiled by Ricci Kilmer, Susan Wade and Christine Sine
- Prayer Cards – more than Christmas gifts. These have been used for daily devotions, grief counselling, small groups and congregational prayers.
Check out the entire resource list here for more ideas for Advent and Christmas.
Godspace has a number of Advent resources available for both free download and purchase. Visit our store.
St Benedict uses 2 words for silence: quies and silentium. Quies is the silence that comes with the absence of noise. The silence that engulfs us when we turn off the TV, disconnect from the internet and discard our cell phones. This is an external silence. It is an extremely important form of silence that all of us who live busy, urban lives need to enter into.
Sixteenth century mystic, John of the Cross called silence “God’s first language” not the language so much of a silent place as of a silent soul. This is silentium, an internal, intentional posture of complete attentiveness toward God. It is a silence of making space for, taking time for and paying loving attention to the One we proclaim to be our God and lord. It is more challenging to enter into this kind of silence because it doesn’t just mean finding a quiet place. It means establishing a quiet inner attitude in which we set aside the distractions of our minds and hearts, draw from the stillness that is within us and commune with God in a very special way. From Return to Our Senses 54
What is your response?
Get comfortable, take some deep breaths in and out and centre yourself on the presence of God. How easily do you still the wandering thoughts, and noisy distractions that make it difficult to enter the inner silence of God? Perhaps you need help.
Richard Foster in Sanctuary of the Soul suggests that constant distractions create noisy hearts, wandering minds and perpetual inner chaos. In order to enter the inner silence of God we need help to slow down and focus our attention on what really matters. The reciting of poetry or scripture, the singing of songs, writing of prayers or other rhythmic activities like knitting, walking and sweeping can open for us this inner silence of God because they do just that. They slow us down and their rhythm enters the depths of our being calming our spirits. Sometimes they create images in our minds that open new doorways through which we see God.
What is your response?
What soothes your spirit and calms your soul so that you can enter into this silent place of communion with God? If need be get out your bible or your knitting, go for a walk, get in touch with the depths of God’s presence. Return to your sitting place and write your thoughts and prayers in your journal. Perhaps you would like to write your own poem or prayer.
My apologies to those of you who already read this on Monday. I am reposting it because for some reason we have not been able to work out, Facebook will not allow me to share yesterday’s post
St Benedict uses 2 words for silence: quies and silentium. Quies is the silence that comes with the absence of noise. The silence that engulfs us when we turn off the TV, disconnect from the internet and discard our cell phones. This is an external silence. It is an extremely important form of silence that all of us who live busy, urban lives need to enter into.
Sixteenth century mystic, John of the Cross called silence “God’s first language” not the language so much of a silent place as of a silent soul. This is silentium, an internal, intentional posture of complete attentiveness toward God. It is a silence of making space for, taking time for and paying loving attention to the One we proclaim to be our God and lord. It is more challenging to enter into this kind of silence because it doesn’t just mean finding a quiet place. It means establishing a quiet inner attitude in which we set aside the distractions of our minds and hearts, draw from the stillness that is within us and commune with God in a very special way. From Return to Our Senses 54
What is your response?
Get comfortable, take some deep breaths in and out and centre yourself on the presence of God. How easily do you still the wandering thoughts, and noisy distractions that make it difficult to enter the inner silence of God? Perhaps you need help.
Richard Foster in Sanctuary of the Soul suggests that constant distractions create noisy hearts, wandering minds and perpetual inner chaos. In order to enter the inner silence of God we need help to slow down and focus our attention on what really matters. The reciting of poetry or scripture, the singing of songs, writing of prayers or other rhythmic activities like knitting, walking and sweeping can open for us this inner silence of God because they do just that. They slow us down and their rhythm enters the depths of our being calming our spirits. Sometimes they create images in our minds that open new doorways through which we see God.
What is your response?
What soothes your spirit and calms your soul so that you can enter into this silent place of communion with God? If need be get out your bible or your knitting, go for a walk, get in touch with the depths of God’s presence. Return to your sitting place and write your thoughts and prayers in your journal. Perhaps you would like to write your own poem or prayer.
A prayer for All Saints Day to end the week with. Thinking of all those who have gone before and called me to live out my faith in radical ways.
Love is what makes us human and like nothing else. If we fail to practice love we are lost inside of ourselves. We need our neighbors more than we realize because in them is the face of God calling out to us here in the world we live in.
- Seeds of revelation, wisdom and enlightenment
God is relational and always works through our relationships in everyday life. Seeds of revelation, wisdom and enlightenment are all around us as we embody a way of love within us, through us and into our local context of the parish. Just think how decades of rootedness could grow our love over time.
- We are the presence of Jesus where we live
Karen Wilk writes in her wonderful book Don’t Invite Them To Church, “Where we dwell is our primary missional context, as it was for Jesus and his first followers in the young church. We are the presence of Jesus where we live.”
- Finding the wisdom to listen
The place we find ourselves in sharing life with others is where we are called to be an expression of love, grace and humility as the body of Christ together. We have to find the wisdom to listen instead of just preach the gospel. Too much preaching without an embodiment of love has damaged the world in the name of Christianity. We need to return to an embodied way of love in the place we inhabit to reverse the damage.
- The simple but complex act of loving each other
There is a lot of information and words in the world, but not enough love for others. Christ is about silencing our words and leading us to practice the most dignified thing we can do for someone. This is the simple but complex act of loving each other.
- Finding a path of solitude
In the midst of getting centered in our being so that we can love others in the parish, we have to find a path of solitude also. This is the practice of allowing ourselves to cultivate the consciousness of the life of Christ living within us. Christ spent many days away from others in the desert, mountains and other lonely places to just reflect and listen to life.
- Christ felt the need for solitude
Christine Sine states, “In spite of this strong commitment to community Christ also felt the need for solitude.”
- We might feel the temptation to give up
Living within the parish can be difficult at times. Every now and then we might feel the temptation to give up and leave, but we must not leave. We must endure the emotional pain of love at times as we might become rejected, abandoned, misunderstood and mistreated for our desire to live in humility in this life.
- The formation of our spirituality
It is not easy and we must not give up our hope that in the little things of everyday life is our redemption and salvation. This is where we are shaped and learn about the formation of our spirituality within us. When we have lost everything – our strength, our desire, our happiness and think we cannot go on anymore; this is where Christ can live most freely in us as we might sense that God has abandoned us.
- The dark night of the soul
The dark night of the soul as some have called this season in life is where life takes on new meaning in our context. All the techniques are gone. All our perceptions have failed us. We might be weak, miserable and depressed but that is okay.
- Finding rest for our souls
The life within us is saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
- Bringing something beautiful to our small part of the world
As we practice solitude and stay rooted in the parish through difficulties, we become tremendously shaped as the temptation of upward mobility is always before us. We receive the strength to stay faithfully present and bring something beautiful to our small part of the world. Focusing on practices of solitude, hospitality, love, grace, humility, relational connection, listening and interdependence are the small beautiful acts that will cultivate life within us.
How has the practice of solitude shaped you in everyday life?
Bio- Mark Votava is a part of the Tacoma Catholic Worker and has been a local practitioner in Downtown Tacoma for over a decade. He is the author of the book The Communal Imagination: Finding a Way to Share Life Together and blogs regularly at markvotava.com.
Advent and the Christmas season are racing towards us at warp speed and the hyper-consumerism that has already invaded our favourite stores is incredible. I hate it. And I find myself wanting to change the culture in which we live. And to do that I think we need to do what The Story of Stuff Project suggests:
What if the goal of our economy wasn’t more, but better — better health, better jobs and a better chance to survive on the planet?
It seems like a very important question to ask ourselves as we get ready to celebrate the coming of Christ. Maybe before we get caught up in the consumer frenzy we need to watch this video.
And now what do we do about it, not just for ourselves but more importantly for our kids. One possibility is helping kids to enjoy the blessing of giving rather than receiving. The list below is adapted from one that I found in Parent Map a few years ago.
1.Support Kids of the World: Helping your children understand that other kids don’t have the privileges they do and need their help can be an enjoyable experience. I love what VIVA, a UK based organization does in sponsoring Christmas parties in poor communities around the world. They are engaged in many ways to help keep children at risk safe and healthy. I have used their child friendly educational prayer resources for years. You may also like to consider organizations like Save the Children and Feed The Children.
2. Buy a livelihood for families. Gifts that provide a livelihood for those who struggle with hunger and poverty can be particularly meaningful as they empower children and make them realize we can all make a difference in this world. World Concern; and Heifer Project are just a couple of the organizations that now provide opportunities for the giving of livestock – from chickens to cattle but as I mentioned in a previous post on Advent resources for Kids, this can sometimes be a little confusing as the chair of our Board found out when he tried to give 1/2 a goat to his parents for Christmas. His mother asked “What will I do with 1/2 a goat?” Tearfund UK has a program where you buy a gift voucher and then the recipient decides what they will give. This might be more fun for some kids.
3. Donate a Bedtime story. This was a new one for me. Many families have few or no age-appropriate books in their home and kids miss out on the important literacy building ritual of bedtime stories. First Book is a non profit that works to distribute new books to low income families in schools in the U.S. and Canada.
4. Hold a Make Something Party. Some years ago Adbusters started a Buy Nothing Day campaign to counteract the Black Friday shopping frenzy of North American Culture. I prefer the Make Something Day idea which places a far more positive spin on the idea. Unfortunately as a movement it seems to have lost momentum but we can still organize a party where your kids can help make gifts for underprivileged kids in your communities. There is something very special about a gift that has been handcrafted. I can guarantee that the recipient will hold onto it for years to come.
5. Make a Loan, help a family. This is a great suggestion for older kids that you not only want to encourage to give but who you also want to learn about investing and financial responsibility. KIVA andHope International are two of the many Christian organization that facilitate micro-lending.
6. Shed a Light on a Brighter Future. One Million LIghts is a non profit that aims to provide sustainable, usable lights to homes without electricity in developing countries through a buy one give one model. Buy solar-charged lanterns and you keep one and a family in need gets the other – a brilliant (pardon the pun) idea.
7. Give Hope for Tomorrow: Plant a Tree, Buy a Stove. In Plant with A Purpose’ alternative gift catalogue, for example, a tree only costs $1 and a fuel efficient stove is $30. I think that this type of gift can be a wonderful educational tool to help children understand the consequences of environmental degradation. Again the fact that we can actually do something to change the situation can be very empowering for young people.
8. Invite International Students Over for Christmas. There are lots of students from around the world that do not have anywhere to go for Christmas. Consider inviting them over on either Christmas eve or Christmas day. Contact your local college or university to find out how to extend this invitation. We have done this for the last couple of years. It has become a real highlight of the Christmas season for us. In conjunction you may like to get your kids to read up on Christmas traditions from around the world. Christmas Around the World has a wonderful description of traditions from a variety of countries that you might like to discuss. The Worldwide Gourmet has a wonderful array of recipes associated with the Advent and Christmas season in many different parts of the world. Just reading through some of these had my mouth watering.
9. Go Fairtrade with all your purchases. There are a growing number of organizations that provide fair traded gift items. Ten Thousand Villages is one one that we have frequented for years. Another possibility is One World Futbol’s smart soccer ball requires no pumping and never goes flat. Each time you purchase one another is donated to a community in need. Or for those that live in the Seattle area take you kids on a tour of Theos Chocolates and end by purchasing gifts for all the family.
10. Protect the World’s Animals. There are many creative ways to help protect the world’s animals. You might like to adopt an animal at your local zoo or contribute to an animal shelter or participate in one of the World Wild Life’s projects. One of my standard Christmas gifts is National Wildlife Federation’s monthly magazines – Ranger Rick and Ranger Rick Jr. It is an award winning educational magazine that provides entertainment and instruction throughout the year.
I have probably said enough but if you want to check out some other ideas:
Momastery – Mastering the Mom has a great suggestion.
And if you are still not sure what to do consider this: What if the goal of our economy wasn’t more, but better — better health, better jobs and a better chance to survive on the planet?
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