Five Priorities This Christmas

Now that we're approaching end-November, there's a tingle in the air that, coupled with the wet weather around us, makes it clear that Christmas is coming!

Our tree is up and I'm looking forward to soaking in the festivities, reflecting on the year gone by and celebrating the reason for the season. Christmas is significantly more than just a  festive holiday to us as Christians and I appreciate the opportunity to turn our focus to the great gift we have been given with the birth of the Saviour. With this in mind, here are five words which encapsulate my priorities this Christmas season:

1. Teach

The children are of an age where they are both able to understand and get excited about Christmas, and it's important to me that they are excited about the right reasons, and not just the presents that they are going to get or the goodies that they are going to eat. Teaching the kids the Christmas story is something I'm greatly looking forward to. It's not that they don't know it. We've read the stories many times in their children's bible and Noey has certainly memorised chunks of it, thanks to the fact that his kindy year-end concert was on the nativity. But Christmas is always a good time to re-tell the tale and reinforce some truths. I've come across some good tips on this which I will be sharing next week.

2. Share

Of all the things we are called to share, surely it must be the sharing of the good news of Christ that is the most important. And what better time than this! I admit I often feel a bit hesitant to say anything for fear of imposing, but I've told myself that I must just start talking, for if everyone was like me, no one would hear.

It is also an opportunity to share with the less-fortunate in our midst, and we're looking forward to supporting The Boys' Brigade Share-A-Gift project again this year, as we did last year. They've started collecting donations at various NTUC Fairprice, Xtra and Finest outlets. Not all, so do check out the donation locations on their website and support this worthwhile cause. 

3. Love

All you need is love, they say. I think it'd be more so for me now when I have two children on my hands all day everyday for 6 weeks! More patience and love would go a long way, me thinks. Love too, for our neighbours and those around us. So I'm going to be enlisting the kids to write notes and make little gifts for friends and family, but also to spread a little cheer around to those we know and those we don't, as inspired by this little kindness adventure. I'm quite excited about that -- and the fact that it's a good excuse to get Noey to do some writing practice!

4. Reflect

Reflecting is much overlooked with our constant need - ok, my constant need - to be on the go. I admittedly don't stop to reflect often enough, but the end of the year is a good time to take stock, and be thankful for what we've been blessed with. And one great occasion we've found to do this is 冬至 (i.e. the Winter Solstice). Usually a few days before Christmas, it's a good time to sit down as a family and think about what we have to be thankful for. And yes, eat 汤圆! It's a little tradition we have and I'm looking forward to it again this year.

5. Give

Giving, I think, not just with our money but with our time and effort. Another way in which we will be supporting the Boys' Brigade Share-A-Gift project is by volunteering with friend to deliver the food hampers to the needy. I signed up last year but alas, the kids fell ill before then and we were not able to take part. So we're trying again this year.

We're also going to be participating in #GivingTuesdaySG, happening on December 3! A campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual year-end holiday season, it celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support non-profit organisations. Not heard about it? Read more about it here. There are plenty of campaigns and initiatives by non-profits and corporates we'll be checking out to try to do our part.

And as an extra bonus, as one of my small ways of giving back, I'm also going to be doing a little giving right here in the form of some giveaways. Yes, starting this Tuesday, I'm going to be doing 4 GIVEAWAYS from now till Christmas, one for every week.

Some of these have been kindly sponsored by the wonderful retailers and business owners that I've been working with, but one will be sponsored by yours truly, to thank you all for being such wonderful readers and for supporting this blog. The truth is, I sacrifice a lot of sleep to write, since it's pretty much impossible to write anything meaningful while the kids are awake. But I do it because I genuinely enjoy it. I've always been the journalling kind and this space offers me the perfect outlet. I started out writing just for myself, but I met others and received so much in return. Not just Items and opportunities for my family, which I greatly appreciate, but more than that, friendships, especially with other Mums, both bloggers and readers. It's helped me keep my social circle vibrant even though I'm mostly stuck at home with two children, and I'm thankful for that. Who says you can't make good friends online huh!

So yes, I'm excited to be giving back and I hope you are! Do come back every week to see what we've got in store for you. (It's not huge -- sorry, not big enough a blog for that! -- but I hope to have a little something for everyone.)

And with all that, I think I'm ready for Christmas! 

 

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