(Guest Post) “Raised Single in the City” - The Christmas One
"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving." - Mother Theresa
Jingle bells, white snow, and Christmas carols…what’s not to love about this season? Everyone seems to be in a bit more jolly mood and all the lights make everything feel so festive. As I sit here and look at the beautiful Christmas tree my kids and I just decorated, I can’t help but think about all the wonderful Christmases my mom and I had.
I know that Christmas can bring with it the stress of trying to get everything on the “Christmas list,” but I am so grateful that my mom instilled in me the real meaning of this season. While growing up although it was just me and my mom, I learned to love the special quality time we spent together during the holidays. We would play Christmas music, dance around, drink eggnog, and decorate the tree.
Don’t get me wrong, I was a regular kid who wanted toys and things, but somehow my mom was able to help me refocus on the important things like giving back, sharing what you have and feeling the love of family and friends.
Now that I have three little ones of my own, I realize that most kids don't naturally have a desire to want everything they see; this is a learned behavior that is reinforced by the greed portrayed in our society. I want to remind all moms out there, especially single moms, that you set the tone for the meaning of Christmas. Don’t just talk about receiving gifts, but focus on other more important things like how excited you are to cook the family a special breakfast on Christmas morning. Actions speak volumes and children learn by the behavior modeled for them so think about planning a family trip to the homeless shelter to donate some new toys or help with serving a meal to the less fortunate on Christmas Day. My mom showed me that the tone of Christmas is displayed through the heart of mothers, and I plan to set the tone to a beautiful, thankful melody this year. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Peace and blessings.