“Christmas is all about Jesus but all I see under the tree is gifts for us. What can we give to Him this year?”

That question was the beginning of our family’s quest to make Christmas about Him. As a result we began the tradition of the two boxes.

Maybe it is something you will want to do this year too.

Our boxes are very different portraying the difference in their contents.

One box is white. On top are written the words ‘Gave to Jesus’.

In the box we each write on a white slip of paper what we plan to give to Jesus this year.

One year my youngest wrote ‘my heart’. What joy flooded my soul when she shared that with me.

Another year I wrote ‘my worries about the future’. So much was going on around threatening to distract me

and drain my energy. Those words represented my heart’s desire to let Him have all of my cares.

The other green and purple striped box has one word on it. ‘Receive’.

In it once again are three white slips of paper. We each write on our piece of paper the gift we long to receive

from Jesus for the coming year.

One year I wrote ‘peace’.

Another year I wrote ‘peace’.

This year I might again write ‘peace’.

That is the special gift that I desire to keep receiving from Jesus.

It is also the gift He so longs to give each one of us but often we forget to receive it.

These two boxes are under our Christmas tree. They represent our hearts’ desire to not only give but also

 receive His special gifts.

It is amazing how this simple tradition has come to have a very important part in our lives.

Through it my girls and I talk and share. We pray and reflect. We join hands and seek Him.

What do you do to give Him His rightful place in your Christmas experience?

Whatever you choose to do, He will be pleased.

Yes, you will sense His Smile of pleasure and know that His Heart is touched by your heart.

And what could be better than that?