Delight Your Family At Christmas With A Gift From The Heart

As joyous as the holiday season is, Christmas is also an increasingly expensive occasion for most families, today. Many families, who gather with their relatives at this time of year, are finding that alternative ways of gift-giving can make the financial impact of Christmas more bearable. Such creativity hearkens back to a simpler time, when the spirit of giving had nothing to do with marketing, and everything to do with the thought and love behind each gift. If you're looking for a simple way to liven up your family gatherings, and save money at the same time, consider the idea of family story-sharing. It really is simple. Everyone has a favorite song or story-or even a poem-which brings the Christmas season alive. Reading or reciting these traditional holiday tomes is a wonderful gift between family members, and easy to prepare: Each year, the story-telling duties can be delegated to one nuclear family, or to all the teenaged cousins, or to all the adults, or names can be drawn for those who will share their holiday tales. Selections can be read or recited by heart, can be long or short, and most-since they're familiar-are available and downloadable, online. They can be printed in easily readable font and contained in holiday-themed folders. A bit of rehearsal can help anyone prepare for such an event. Even a performance for family should be special enough at the holidays, to warrant proper preparation. The littlest family members will almost certainly be the most enthusiastic about sharing their favorite holiday stories, but they can also use help, finding their material and practicing its presentation. Children may even choose to write their own material, creating new holiday stories and traditions, which can become fodder for family laughs and memories for decades to come. The perfect time for a family story-circle is after a big meal, when everyone is rested and ready to listen and be entertained. Pick a "moderator" to introduce each reading or song, and to keep things moving along. Limit the number of stories, each year, to a handful, alternating family members, from year to year. Keep each season's session a moderate length, so that story-sharing is fun, rather than tedious. Sharing favorite holiday stories and poems and songs with your loved ones can turn into a highlight of each Christmas family gathering.