This lovely list of gifts for your kids was posted last December 2012 but its relevance is still very true for this year. So we decided to repost it this year to remind us all of what should be the true gifts for our children this Christmas … and throughout the year. -Nancy Catan, BCBP Kapatiran Editor
Top 10 Best Christmas Gifts for Your Kids
24-Dec-11, 3:22 PM | MINNIE FRANCIA
Interaksyon.com (News 5)
Toy stores are jam packed this time of the year as parents and godparents jostle the crowds to buy gifts for their kids and inaanaks. It’s a joy to watch children unwrap their gifts but really, how long will their happiness for their new toy car or doll last? If you want to give something that will truly make an impact on your child’s heart, you will have to go beyond toys and leave them with values, memories and traditions that they can learn from and cherish. Here are some ideas from parents on the “best Christmas gifts” you can give to your kids:
1. Meaningful gifts. Of course, your kids will expect a present to unwrap but if they are old enough to appreciate, you can strive to give gifts that reflect or symbolize a deeper meaning. Grace Garcia, mother of three says that this year, she is giving her 9-year-old daughter a music box. She knows her child will find this gift special because the music it plays is the one that her little ballerina has danced to. It may be a charm bracelet with memorable charms, a beautiful journal for a poet, or a telescope for a budding astrologist. Go beyond the usual toys and think about gifts that reflect your child’s interest and uniqueness.
2. Gift of laughter. You may not be able to shield your child from the harshness of life but you can help them go through it with a light heart and a dose of humor. Bless Francisco says that she will strive to gift her two kids with the “gift of laughter” by telling them jokes and sharing with them funny stories. “It’s music to my ears every time I hear my kids laughing out loud. These are truly happy memories for us,” she shares.
3. Unconditional love. Irma Larono’s gift is perhaps what every parent strives to give their child—a love that is accepting, giving, forgiving, and supporting without asking for anything in return. “For my daughter Roni I wish to give unconditional love so she too may learn to love God and others.”
4. Time together. My 9-year-old daughter Ella was reading my draft of this story when she piped in: “I know Mom. Spend time together—that’s the best gift.” And I thought she was going to say “a cellphone.” So I hurry and try to spend as much time with her and make memories together before she gets too busy to want to spend time with me.
5. Unconditional support. Your child will be going through a lot of challenges and will need you to be there for them. Marla Gonzalez shares that this is what she will be giving her 4-year-old son Javo. “Unconditional support when he puts an effort into making something no matter how ugly it may look in our eyes. To our child it’s his work.”
6. Contentment. Does your child’s Christmas wish list read like an endless request for toys and gadgets? “If I could, I’d like to gift them with contented hearts. Ang dami nilang gusto!” laughs Kay Nery, mom of three. If you can, expose your children to those who are not as blessed like orphans or street children so they can appreciate what they have.
7. Gift of travel. Kids learn so much when you travel with them and it encourages them to have a sense of adventure. It doesn’t have to be an expensive out-of-the-country trip. During the holidays you can take them to places they are learning in school. Our kids have enjoyed our adventures in Candaba Swamp and the Rizal Shrine as much as our trips to the Great Wall or Disneyland.
8. New experiences. Have you tried Laser Tag with your kids? Or go-karting perhaps? New experiences build your child’s confidence and makes great memories for the family. Again, it need not be expensive. It can be as simple as trying out a new dish or washing the car together. Just be adventurous and do something you have never done before.
9. Generosity. Let your kids feel how true it is that giving is better than receiving by letting them experience gift-giving to the less fortunate. PR Consultant Amor Maclang shares that her relationship with her child may be “non-traditional” because she is autistic. So, aside from the traditional gifts that they shower on Peggy, Amor shares that the greatest gift that she can give to her child is the work she does with the Autism Society of the Philippines for awareness and funding. “Whenever I do that I always think I dedicated it to my daughter,” she says.
10. True Christmas. Beyond the gifts, let’s not forget to instill in our kids that the real Christmas story is about Christ. Ava Tiongson, mom of two, shares that Santa Claus may be fun but she emphasizes to her children that all the celebration is for the birthday of Jesus. Take the time to read books on the birth of Christ, go to church, and pray together as a family to instill in them the real spirit of the season.
