The Greatest Gift
This time of year can be a whirlwind of activities. Decorating, gift-buying, baking, planning big meals, the list goes on. In the past I’ve done count down calendars with my boys. Ones involving candy, some with small toys from the dollar store, and the easiest (yet most expensive) Lego countdown calendars. I investigated some options for this year such as different puzzles to solve each day, riddles, and games. All were costly and the reviews weren’t great. So, I decided to do something different.
Spending quality time together seems to be the most under-rated activity of our time. Years from now when my children are grown, they aren’t going to remember the material things. Those tend to lose their value shortly after being given. What they will remember is the family time we spend together laughing, loving one another, and making special memories.
So far this month we have had family movie nights, played mini golf, done an escape room, played yard games, and went to the Chinese Lantern Festival with grandparents. Still to come is a family craft night, baking cookies, video game night, board game night, and bowling. While some of these activities cost money, the real value is in the time we are spending together. My boys have become so excited with our family time each day they ask what our next activity will be. And not once have they complained about it, whether it was an activity outside of the home or simply cozying up together on the couch to watch a movie.
Our time on this planet is limited. Often, we get caught up in our daily to-do lists and forget what is really important in life. Spending time with the people you love doing the things you love cannot be emphasized enough. My hope is that my boys remember these happy moments for the rest of their lives. And even when they are grown and moved out, I hope they still want to spend time together as a family, doing the things they love most.