New Christmas Family Tradition

Nothing deeply philosophical today [perhaps I have never been deeply philosophical so who cares]
Just simple blogging...

My kids are all making presents for each other this Christmas.
We've been helping them change their focus away from the commercialism that surrounds Christmas and back to good ol' home-grown family values.
Sure we get them all a stuffed animal, fill their little stockings and pick a 'biggie' off their lists.... but for the most part we we're trying to shift the big 'present-fest' to their birthdays while at the same time shifting emphasis to remember the TRUE meaning of CHRISTmas at Christmas.
Um... Emanuel... God with us....Christ born in a manger and all that.
:)
It's really been fun.
The girls are making... holy smokes... I nearly blogged what they are making for each other... I almost did a total blogging faux-pas.
All I can say is there is tons of glue, felt, beans, buttons, wood, nails, sandpaper, etc... all over our craft table and we are totally having a great time doing it.

The hardest thing is NOT making the presents for them. I have had to pull back my artistic guidance more that once as I encourage them to 'do it their way'. So what if they can't tell what it is when they open it... their sibling MADE IT!!!!!
This whole thing was a brainstorm I had last year and was even expected this year since it went so well in 2002.
Hey look at me... starting a family tradition!
Good luck with yours.