Blogger Merissa Alink is deeply committed to “making the most of what you have.” She shares that philosophy through her writing on her wildly popular blog, “Little House Living,” which is now available as a motivational homemaking book, also and aptly called LITTLE HOUSE LIVING. Merissa is known for her no-frills practicality and DIY charm, so it comes as no surprise that she applies the same straightforward wisdom to her holiday traditions. Here, she shares her gifting formula for guaranteed success and joy to all --- including the gift givers.
Being a book lover and a minimalist makes for some difficult choices during the holiday season. When my husband and I adopted our first son, we wanted to start our own special holiday traditions, and so we came up with something special for our gift giving. For Christmas, each member of our family gets:
· Something they want
· Something they need
· Something to wear
· Something to read
Yes, just four gifts, but we make sure each of them is special and has meaning for the recipient.
At just three years old, my oldest has already garnered a special love for books. I credit this to us reading to him each day since he was very little, but hopefully it’s also because he sees his Mama’s love for books and wants to follow suit.
Last Christmas, which was our first as a family of four, it brought joy to my heart to watch my little boy (who was only two at the time) rip open his packages and then focus on his book that we gave him as a gift, and then take it over to a quiet corner to page through it and look through the pictures before going back to the Christmas festivities.
Each year we hope to continue this tradition with our children, even as our family grows. Watching the reverence that even a very tiny one has, holding his own special book in his hands, is something I will cherish every year.
