The Blessing of Little Children

For years I have struggled with myself at Christmas time. I want to give the most perfect, meaningful gifts to those I love... but then when it is time to exchange gifts, I find myself extreemly self-centered and selfish, wanting the most perfect and meaningful gifts to be given to ME. I know in my heart that this ruins Christmas for me. Last year it made me feel horrible. With a new little one, a new job, a new city and a new house, we almost didn't have a real Christmas!

Skip forward a year. TWO little ones. Now used to being away from family in this city and in this job. I decided that little M needed a play kitchen. It is a little old for her, but she will be growing into it very soon. I wanted to get C the perfect, most meaningful gift, and I found a couple. BUT, this year, I found in our excitement of watching little M open all her gifts (thank you Grandma, Grandpa, Omi and Opi!) it was so much more meaningful than the gifts I recieved. For the first time, probably in my life, I wasn't concerned with what I recieved, because I was so absorbed in the joy of watching the little ones recieve. Even little E enjoyed his gifts (either that, or he was just enjoying being in the middle of the Christmas joy, as was I)!

Little M playing with the child-friendly Playmobile nativity set while Daddy reads the Christmas story.
Ahhh, the spirit of Christmas.