Mama Cried Wolf

So, one Christmas about 10 years ago my husband and I decided that our children didn't need so many gifts. In fact, they didn't need anything. Every little thing they wanted, they pretty much got. It's not as if they got everything just by asking, we made them earn what they got, but they are resourceful kids and smart too, so, it was only a matter of time before they got that desired item. We told the kids how very fortunate they are. We told them they would be getting very little for Christmas. We told them to pick out gifts for Toys for Tots and for Operation Christmas Box. We told them to be happy with what they have. We told them the real reason for Christmas was to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We told them to count their blessings. We told them about homelessness and world hunger. We told them about soup kitchens and shelters. We told them about a family in town that we would be buying gifts for because the dad lost his job and the mom was sick. We told them it is better to give than to receive. So on Christmas morning when they saw their little stockings stuffed to overflowing and a pile of 4 carefully selected gifts under the tree for each of them, they flipped out! I think they thought they were going to get an orange and a dime on Christmas morning. They were the 3 most thankful kids I'd ever seen. It makes me cry to think about how happy they were. So, as this season approaches and I tell them not to expect much under the tree, as I do each year, they just smile and nod and say, "Sure Mom."