Back before the day of Flip cameras and high definition video cameras, my parents recorded some of our early Christmases on tape. Well I don’t even know what they used to record it, but they made a cassette tape for me with the recorded memories. Yes. I am old.

Anyway, this particular Christmas my parents had gotten two year old me what they assumed would be the HIT of the year. My very own play kitchen. The tape documents me coming down the stairs Christmas morning and discovering all the gifts Santa had left behind.

I quickly tackle my stocking and exclaim as only a two year old can, “UNDERWEAR!!!” (in my head I can hear that voice perfectly. I can’t say my r’s). My parents giggle a little and say, “Jill, what else did you get.” And I am sure they are gesturing in the direction of the large kitchen. I look next to the underwear I have just opened and gasp, “MORE UNDERWEAR!!!”

My parents literally have to point at the big kitchen to get me to notice at which point I say, “OH A TOVE!!”(apparently I am not so great with the S either.

For the last several Christmases I have been feeling less and less joy at Christmas. I really WANT to be joyful at Christmas. I mean isn’t joy what the season is about?

But I think the problem is all around me I see people getting excited for “underwear” and missing the stove.

This could be another post about consumerism and how evil it is, but the fact is, as a parent I love giving my children gifts. I love picking out a gift that I know will mean a lot to my child and seeing their face when they open it. Giving gifts is one of the best things about Christmas. And if we are created in God’s image wouldn’t it only make sense that we were made to love giving good gifts.

But I long for a Christmas with gifts that are more meaningful and with a whole lot less of them. More homemade, local gifts and less plastic junk from who knows where. And I long for a Christmas with a whole lot more giving to others and a whole lot less of getting for myself.

Less, less, less of so much and more, more, more of Jesus.

This post is part of World Vision’s 12 Blogs of Christmas Project about the true spirit of Christmas. In order to learn more real needs that you can meet this Christmas season, check out the World Vision Catalogue.

Do you have your own story about the true spirit of Christmas? Share it today at the World Vision blog.

Disclosure: This post was not compensated in any way. My love for World Vision is well documented

When I was growing up there was one man that was always at our church. Weekdays, weekends, it didn’t matter – he was there. And it wasn’t our pastor. It was our custodian.

He wasn’t a “churched” man, per se. He was there because it was his job. But over the years he came to know Jesus and the change in his smile was the proof. He didn’t have a glamorous job. Many people probably paid him little attention. And I know in a small town, at a semi-small church, he probably didn’t make much money.

I don’t know when it started, but one year at Christmas my parents slipped a fairly decent sized amount of money in his mailbox at church. Then the next year they did the same. Year after year completely secretly they gave him a “Christmas Bonus.”

see the rest of my post over at Pennies and Blessings…..