Maybe I’m a little early but have you started to think about Christmas yet? I know that the autumn season just got here and we have Thanksgiving to think of first but the “biggie” is not far off. I’m not asking if you’ve thought of Christmas from the viewpoint of gifts to buy, cookies to bake, etc. I’m talking about a spiritual experience.Now is the time to plan for a really spectacular Christmas that you will never forget. I’ll tell you about a very memorable Christmas that Jessica, Danielle and I had. It took some planning but it was P-E-R-F-E-C-T.

Long about this time of year back then an idea popped into my head that we should consider doing Christmas a different way for once. We would have no gifts at all under the tree on Christmas morning. Instead we would plan that the whole month before December 25th would be a constant gift giving to each other. Some items might be purchased but the emphasis was on time and thoughtfulness. The idea took hold; we all liked it. We each began to strategize on how to out do each other in creativity.

We would announce the gift as a Christmas present as we gave it. For instance I might do chores for one of them and leave a note: Merry Christmas! There were special shopping trips, time alone with each other, letters and notes, cooking of favorite foods, little surprise treats – on and on it went. What a fun month we had. What a load of gifts we each received.

Christmas morning was the best. We sat around our tree and read our traditional scripture; Luke 2. We reflected on how God the Father had given His son Jesus on that day and how our special Christmas had reflected that spirit of giving in a unique way. We still talk about that year. You may feel free to borrow our idea if it appeals to you but better start now. Christmas is coming….