Because He loved, He gave…

Written By Heidi Lee Anderson

It’s easy (and trendy) to get caught up in sugar cookies, Elf on the Shelf, and “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey.

I get it! It’s fun to deck the halls with garland and pine-scented candles, and when the kids go to bed, is there anything more festive than chugging eggnog (mixed with Sprite and nutmeg, of course) and kicking back to yet another Hallmark movie—or have we switched to GAC? Either way, TBD if they find love…

But where do we stand with presents? Do we do them or not? Do they add to or take away from the real Reason for the season? Ultimately, we’re still wondering the same thing we did back in the 90’s…

…WWJD?

Oh, were you expecting me to answer that? Yikes, I AM SO SORRY. (Although I will say this read from John Piper, this article from Christianity.com, and this response at Got Questions are worth a look, and leading Apologist Jason Carlson’s sermon “Is Christmas Credible?” in his Advent Apologetics series is 100% worth a listen!)

But if there was ❶ lesson my dad repeated like a broken record growing up, it was this:

“For God so loved the world that HE GAVE His one and only Son (John 3:16)... because He loved, He gave, so because we love, we give.”

Now no longer 4, 8, and 10—but 30, 34, and 36—he still looks us kids in the eye and says very seriously as if we’ve never heard it before, “Bottom line: We’re all takers or givers. Life is about giving, not getting! The goal is to be Net-Givers, and ‘it (really) is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).

So yes, when Christmastime comes around and it’s time to whoop up Jesus’ birth once again, you better believe our family is alllllllll about those gifts—not necessarily for ourselves (although you won’t see me turning them down😂), but like the Wise Men, as a way to express our love and appreciation for one other!

Of course, their ancient gifts held deeper meaning than just an act of kindness (and if you grabbed my Countdown to Christmas Family Devotional,

you’ll uncover the context behind gold, franken-booger—oops, Frankincense…psst, ❶ time out of many I guarantee you’ll make your kids giggle—and myrrh in Day 14). However, I spend so much on myself year-round, so I seize this as a great opportunity to give back and speak this love language to those I love most!

Without further ado…

I grilled my mom, interviewed my in-laws, looked around our house to gather our kids’ go-to’s, and hounded Ty to round up his favorite past gifts (as well as those on his current wish list) to bring to you…

GIFT GUIDES FOR CHRISTMAS OF 2022.

I need to preface: You can hit the X on this browser now. There’s zero pressure to keep scrolling, purchase a billion (or even the right) gift for your loved ones, and turn your celebration into some sort of commercialized, materialistic holiday. Nope🙅‍♀️, you won’t find that here.

Here, you’ll merely find ideas for those, who like me, are ready to get shopping and check people off our list! P.S. I’ll add to it/update regularly, even throughout December (i.e. stocking stuffers + hostess gifts coming soon), so star it in your email, save the link in notes, or whatever makes this blog post easiet to get to.

All in all… MERRY CHRISTMAS, GIRLFRIEND. ❤️

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention, the BEST gift to give above all the rest is sharing about the real Reason for the season with your loved ones. For moms and grandmas especially, I combined my past career in Kid’s Ministry, along with all the years of first-hand experience as a mom, to create Countdown to Christmas for you! A 15-day family devotional breaking down Jesus’ birth in a language your kids ACTUALLY understand and in a way that keeps them engaged, learning, and best of all, LAUGHING.

Grab your copy here while it’s still on sale under $10!

All in all, merry Christmas, sweet friend! It really, truly, is the most wonderful time of the year.

Heidi Lee Anderson

Heidi Lee Anderson is a writer, speaker, and stay-at-home mom. While crafting Instagram devotionals @heidileeanderson and writing kid’s curriculum @thismotherhen and teaching biblical online courses, she’s a master at cleaning up Cheerios spills and building LEGO towers while simultaneously chugging coffee like a Gilmore. Heidi has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from University of Northwestern, MN, and has spent her career doing ministry—from teaching hundreds in kids’ ministry to writing daily devotionals, Bible reading plans, and small group curriculum as a content developer. After being diagnosed with cancer, Heidi’s fuel is now to make sure that Christ-followers realize, know, and claim the sure promises God offers—in the mundane, amid the heartache, and on top of the highest mountains.

https://www.thismotherhen.com
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