Be sure to read to the end of this post where we are giving away $500. With Christmas being the season of giving, I’ve gotten together with some pretty awesome bloggers to give TWO families some CASH in the 5th annual Christmas Blessings Giveaway – $500 cash (delivered via Paypal).
My middle daughter, Gentry, does not like pumpkin bread . . . at all. In her office last year, she had to bring something that represented a memory during our kids Christmas. She thought and thought, but kept coming back to the pumpkin bread we made as a family when she was growing up. She doesn’t like the taste of pumpkin bread, but she remembered making the pumpkin bread, selling the pumpkin bread, and using that money to bless another family.
Which Christmas tradition did she take to her office last year?
She baked pumpkin bread for her co-workers, not because she liked it, not because she enjoyed eating it, but because she used it to do something for people outside her family. To bless another family by selling pumpkin bread.
How did we use pumpkin bread to bless another family?
We did not bake pumpkin bread and give it to others. Instead, I thought of ways we could reach out beyond our family internationally. I don’t know where I got this idea but I now realize it was successful. Successful in helping our kids become others-focused for a life-time.
How to Bless Other Families with your Kids Christmas
First, we chose an international missionary family that had kids. Only one family each year. I corresponded with the mom letting her know we would like to buy Christmas gifts for her kids. We wanted to buy something they would not buy themselves, but would be appreciated by their children. What is it that your kids might like, that you can’t afford? Whatever they said (within reason) was our goal.
I did not give my kids the money for these gifts. They had to earn money for the gifts. During November and December, my kids sold small loaves of pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookies. In fact, to this day, they make better chocolate chip cookies than I do.
My kids would take orders in November and distribute the baked goods on Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving. They would have another set of orders for Christmas. We would choose a delivery date before Christmas, but they would collect the money with the order.
After baking all the goodies, they would pay me for the ingredients. Whatever money was left over, the kids used to buy gifts and pay for shipping. Usually, we would calculate how much it costs to ship to that missionary family. (Note to self: homeschool project to calculate shipping.) How much does it cost to ship to Africa? How much does it cost to ship to Italy? How much does it cost to ship to Czechoslovakia?
Once they calculated their shipping costs, they knew how much money could be used for their gifts. From there, they looked for the best possible gifts. One year, we bought educational computer games. Another year, we bought dress-up clothes. One year, we had a family tell us, “You know, we really don’t need anything. But there is a missionary family next door that could use some board games. Would you mind using your money for them?” And that’s exactly what we did.
This was an awesome activity. It’s one of our my favorite kids Christmas activities to encourage being others-focused. Actually, the kids still speak fondly of their times together serving another family. If you think about Gentry’s story, you can see that it had a huge impact on her. Such a great memory that she baked pumpkin bread, despite the fact she does not enjoy pumpkin bread.
That’s the spirit of Christmas. It isn’t just the Bible story. It’s the Bible in action.
In your kids Christmas this year, how are you teaching the love of Jesus? How will you show unconditional love? Who do you know that you can love unconditionally this Christmas? A family that can’t repay your family.
Make a list of families. Choose one. Let your kids earn money to bless that family, to show God’s unconditional love in a tangible way.
If you would like to follow our family’s Easy Bake Sale Items for Christmas project, I have printables to help you get started. You’ll receive a business plan chart, budget charts, order forms, recipes and other printables to get your organized. Just enter your name & email above
$500 Cash Giveaway
So what about that $500 giveaway?
We hope this prize will be a blessing to the winning families and help them to fulfill their kids’ Christmas wishes, pay off some bills, or to save for a rainy day. Wherever the money is used, our prayer is that it helps to lessen any financial burden and/or fills a specific need.
There are lots of entry options in the Rafflecopter form below – the more you enter, the better your chance of winning! I know it can seem tedious and time consuming to go through all the entries, but isn’t a chance at $500 worth it? I think it is!
Plus, all of these generous bloggers donated their own money toward the cash prizes and this giveaway wouldn’t be possible without them. So I hope you’ll take the time to check out each one. Who knows, maybe you will find your new favorite blog.
The giveaway will run from Monday, November 12th through Wednesday, November 21st (ends at 11:59pm EST). Winner will be notified by email shortly after the giveaway ends and will have 48 hours to respond to claim the prize or another winner will be drawn. You must have a Paypal account to win. Please be sure to read the Rafflecopter terms and conditions upon entering.
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