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Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

We give 3 gifts on Christmas to our children- Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh (you can read more about that here). Thinking up gifts for them this year wasn’t as easy as it has been in the past. Well, with the exception of Maiden- we’ve known what we were going to get her since last year!
Maiden’s gold gift is going to be a sewing machine (this is the gift we are still praying about as we haven’t been able to find one within our budget yet). Her frank gift will be an Adventures in Odyssey CD and her myrrh gifts are bath products and a new outfit.
Sassafras was by far the hardest to figure out this year. We kept asking her what she wanted and all she would say was “A Jonathan Park CD and Adventures in Odyssey CD.” Well I thought those were fine and dandy ideas for a frank gift but not a gold gift. And I was becoming quite frustrated. I shared my frustration with Mr. Steady and he thought if she couldn’t think of anything better then what? So he said “Pray about it.” Me: “Duh.” And so I did. The answer didn’t come right away- in fact it just kind of crept up on me one day. I was thinking about how very much she loves her little knickknacks and also how much she loves our nativities. Eureka! So Sass will be getting a Jonathan Park CD and an Adventures in Odyssey CD for her gold gift, her own nativity for her Frank gift and a new outfit and special bath products (because of her sensitive skin) for her Myrrh gift.
And to Mr. Conductor- well he’s getting Geo Trax trainset for his gold gift (of course it had to be trains!) as to his Frank gift- he is either getting a Veggie Tales DVD or the new On The Farm DVD. His myrrh gift will be much needed new blue jeans and a nice dress shirt for church (and prehaps some shower gel like his Daddy’s- he likes to smell just like Dad!)
And there you go- I’ve only got a few more purchases to make and we are done!
Mr. Steady and I also give the 3 gifts to each other and the children each purchase/make a gift for us too (and for each other!)
I only wish we had started this tradition years earlier instead of spending way too much and giving too many gifts that couldn’t be properly enjoyed but most of all- it all detracted and distracted us from the true meaning of CHRISTmas. Christ.

I love this idea

2:36 PM, 2006-Dec-9 .. Posted by jackiebridgen

I just love your gold, frankincense and myrhh idea! Too late for this year, now - but next year, I think we might take this up, I think that's fantastic, that it limits everyone's expectations, keeps the budget down, and stops that last minute panic where you think, awww that doesn''t look much!
My girls have always been less materialistic than most, and we have never 'gone overboard' but i have a horrid feeling it's gonna creep in unless we introduce something like this.
Thanks, Amy!

I don't see a link...

7:25 PM, 2006-Dec-9 .. Posted by mominpa

to read more about these gifts...sounds like a VERY VERY neat idea!!!

I've heard about the JOY gifts

J- a gift dealing with Jesus (devotional etc...)
O- a gift to be use with/for others
Y- a gift for yourself (personal)

I'd love to hear more about this!!