One of the highlights for me at Christmastime is baking cookies with the grandkids and making those once-a-year candies, because what’s Christmas without fudge and divinity? More importantly, what’s Christmas without Jesus? It’s void. Pointless. That’s one reason why I am determined as a woman of faith to make sure Christ is the focal point of our family Christmas.

So one of the fun things I do with the grandkids each Christmas is taking them shopping … for others. We collect names off of a giving tree and shop for the person we’ve picked. We also make sure that each one of them receives something from my husband and me from the World Vision Gift Catalog. It’s important that children learn the joy of giving, and these are small ways that I’ve helped instill that in them.

My parents weren’t wealthy people. Having lived through the Depression era, they were keenly aware of how fortunate they were to live and work in a free society. They never forgot those who had less. I learned generosity from them and am now striving to open my children’s and grandchildren’s hearts and minds to those who have far less.

And what do I get out of it? I am humbled by the thoughtfulness of my grandkids. The way they search out the best buys. The way they stretch those dollars as far as they can. These are memories that are dear to my heart and encouraging to my faith!