Giving tree
Every year our local church puts tags on its Christmas tree with Boy/Girl and an age. You get your kids to choose a tag that reflects a child of their age and they go shopping for a gift, wrap it, attach the tag and return it under the tree to be distributed to kids in our area by the St Vincent De Paul.
Gareth was puzzled by the concept. He wanted to know exactly WHO he was buying for. When I explained it would be given to a boy in our area who's parents were unable to buy many toys he went away to think for a while. He came back to me so excited. He had a plan! He had agreed with his friend Tommy that they would buy gifts, attach their "Boy aged 6" tags and swap with each other!!!
Obviously I had a bit more explaining to do!
We went shopping this week. The kids chose gifts and contributed some of their pocket money towards paying for them. This gave them a more realistic feeling of sharing what they have with someone who has less. They helped wrap the toys, put their tags on and then brought the gifts to mass this weekend and put them under the tree.
Hopefully they will find their way to homes and bring a smile to someones child. Someone who may be going through hard times. After the year that we have had with Byron being out of work unexpectedly it makes me grateful it is not us needing the help. We have an awful lot to be thankful for.
