With just a little over five weeks until Christmas, I've been thinking a lot about my favourite Christmas tradition - giving gifts. Of course, with that beloved tradition, comes the need to budget.
If I had enough money, I would buy every person I know a gift, pack 50 Christmas shoe boxes for poor children in developing countries, buy a herd of goats for struggling farmers in Asia, provide needed clothing and supplies to missionaries doing God's work around the world, bring a wagon full of toys to the Elves Club, put on a Christmas dinner for everyone on the Coast who has no place to go and donate to countries in need of aid, like the Philippines, which is trying to heal from one of the biggest typhoons in history.
Well, I'm not a millionaire, or even a thousandaire, so I can't complete all the things in that run-on sentence, but I'm definitely going to try to give to the places that I feel need it most.
The most pressing issue making headlines these days is the need to support the Philippines, and I won't wait until Christmas to give to the people there who are hurting. I've already donated some money to the aid effort through World Concern, and I'm excited to see what will come of a proposed fundraiser called the "PhilippinesReliefFundraiser - SunshineCoastLove" that's being pitched on Facebook right now. We Coasters are a caring bunch, and we can dig deep and come up with thousands in one night, so I'm sure this fundraiser will be a great success.
Another gift we have to get sent off this week is our Operation Christmas Child shoebox.
My kids are six and 10 years old, and every year we pack a shoebox with presents for a child in another country who would otherwise have nothing to open on Christmas day.
It's a great teaching tool for my kids who put a lot of thought into what another child their age would want. Occasionally they have trouble letting go of that special something they selected, which is another opportune teaching time.
It's good for my children to be reminded that while they live in a country where they have everything they need and almost everything they want, other children are lacking even basic necessities like food, water and shelter. It's a foreign thought for a child who has never gone without and a topic worth revisiting.
Another charity we'll be sure to give to this Christmas is the Sunshine Coast Elves Club, which provides food hampers and presents for families in need on the Coast. We won't be bringing a wagon full of gifts, but at least two toys will make their way to the Elves from the Wood family this year.
As for the goats, my daughter Kaitlyn has brought the Gospel for Asia Gift Catalogue to her class and they plan to fundraise and purchase a goat or another animal for a family in need this Christmas. This one won't cost us any money, but I'll need to bake up a storm for the big fundraiser Kaitlyn's class is organizing.
We also plan to send some money to a missionary we sponsor because he needs some warm clothes this winter. He's about my age, and helping him with his basic needs so he can go out and live his life for others is a good reminder (and teaching tool) for me.
I wish I could do more, but my money can only stretch so far. Of course, not all gifts cost money. Caring for a sick friend, making a special play date with your child, cleaning the house for your elderly parents or just giving a hug to that hurting co-worker might be the present they'll most treasure this Christmas. So good luck with your budgeting this season, whether you need to decide how to spend your time or your money.
