Are you going into debt to give gifts? How long will the things you buy satisfy and please your children? What are your children learning through these gifts?

Consider these ideas about gift giving:

• Don’t go into debt for gifts. They are much more fun to give when you don’t have to face credit card bills in the New Year.
• Involve your children in buying gifts for each other and family members.
• Include your children in sharing Christmas joy with those less fortunate.
• Invite those who have no family of their own to share your holiday celebrations.
• Make a memory instead of buying things. (Take your kids to some event or place and spend time together doing something they won’t forget.)

My most memorable childhood Christmases were when we brought an orphan girl to share a few days with us during the holiday season. We each made gifts for her as we did for each other. Other years we helped mom shop for food baskets to take to poor families who lived near-by. We often went as a family to visit older family members and took them homemade cookies or other treats we helped to make.