"Whose birthday are we celebrating?"

A number of years ago when my youngest child of six children was
10 or 11, I was driving myself crazy trying to buy everything on
her very lengthy Christmas list. I wanted to be a good parent
and give my child the desires of her heart.

In the midst of all of this, a friend told me that he and his
wife buy their children four gifts for Christmas every year.

Yes, FOUR gifts!

They are:

1. Something you want
2. Something you need
3. Something to wear and
4. Something to read.

If they complain, ask them, "Whose birthday are we celebrating?"

Once I started doing this, I thought my children would be awful
about it, but the opposite happened. They really appreciated
every gift they got, and they made me "label" them.

Since that time, Christmas at our house has been so much more
enjoyable because we could focus on the true meaning of the
celebration, and I wasn't driving myself crazy trying to find
and buy gifts I couldn't afford.

And yes, I still buy and label four gifts for them each year.

Nola Parton-Jones, Federal Way, WA