A Christmas Gift Guide For Parents

Christmas is upon us. And I love it. I really do think it's the most wonderful time of the year. From celebrating God's gift to us through Jesus to spending time with friends and families to giving gifts to those we love...there's so much to love about the Christmas season. And as a parent, I've learned that my kids bring so much more joy into the holiday season.

But too many times being a parent means added stress as well. We feel like we have to find the perfect gift. We're pressured into spending more money than we have. At Christmas time, sometimes more than any other time of the year, we feel the need to keep up with the Jones's.

As parents, Johanna and I have felt those pressures. But we started doing something a few years ago that has revolutionized our Christmas experience. It helps us to focus on the real reason we celebrate and allows us to slow down the crazy consumerism that has engulfed the holiday.

Here's what we do: Our kids get four gifts. Yes, you read that right: four. And we have a system that we use. Here's how it goes:

Something you want,

Something you need,

Something to wear,

Something to read.

This system has allowed us to be less stressed, stay within a budget, and keep the real focus on Jesus at Christmas.

If you're a parent out there feeling the stress and struggle of Christmas consumerism, I hope this strategy might help your family as well.