This week, I'm sending out Christmas goodies! Since Christmas is about two months away, this is the best time to send Christmas gifts and cards to your kids. If you have sponsor kids, I strongly recommend that you go ahead and send them some treats for Christmas now, so they get them in time for the holidays!
This year, I am sending out sticker books for each of my kids. Michael's craft stores already have a ton of Christmas stuff in their stores. They usually have some great dollar items (for you shoebox shoppers!), but this year, I haven't seen much there that will work for our Compassion kids. However, they ALWAYS have really amazing sticker books from a company called Darice. They do sticker books for all the major holidays, and they have a huge variety of sticker books for Christmas! Licensed characters, neon, an "alpine" theme, more traditional scenes, etc. I got some more mature looking sticker books for some of my older kids, some nativity books for the youngest ones (they are really cartoon-y), a Minnie Mouse one for Tasya (because she is always wearing a Minnie Mouse shirt in her pictures) and I specifically got a snow-themed one for Joane, who lives in Haiti. Ice does not form naturally anywhere in Haiti- even in the mountains! Snow is something she would never ever see. I know some of my other kids live in tropical, hot areas, but for most of them, they have a snow-capped mountain somewhere in their country. I just thought of Joane when I saw this book, so I picked it out for her.
My kids are also getting Christmas cards. I am sending out penguin Christmas cards this year, with a brief message inside. I got these cards last year at Lifeway, where my mom works. They are made of a really nice quality paper, so they should hold up in shipping and will probably last a long time. The younger kids are also getting nativity sticker scenes, which I found at Hobby Lobby. They're about $4 per dozen sticker sheets, but Hobby Lobby is always running their stuff 40-50% off.
Now, on to the letters. I am sending regular letters this mail run, not Christmas themed ones. I will send a Christmas themed one closer to Christmas, describing my family's traditions and what we'll be doing for the holidays. I found some really pretty paper at the Dollar Tree last week. It's just printer paper, but the borders are dark blue with yellow stars. I really like the paper!
In my letters this month, I've written a greeting paragraph. I mentioned that it is starting to get very cold where I live, and that on Wednesday, we saw a few snowflakes in the air- but they melted before they hit the ground! I asked each of my kids how cold it gets where they live. I know that some of them live in areas where it's constantly hot and humid, but there are some areas, like the mountains, where it can get cool.
In the next paragraph, I mentioned that a sad thing has happened recently, because my friend Jessica passed away. I mentioned this in all my letters except for the very youngest kids, and for Bonifas and Elisha (they got introductory letters this week.) I said that Jessica had some disabilities and she had been sick for a long time, but now she is in heaven and she is healthy and whole. I asked them to pray for my friend Laura, Jessica's mom, and her family.
After that, for most of my kids, I wrote a little bit about my Bible study group. Most of my kids are aware that I do Bible studies with some friends of mine. Sometimes I write about what we're studying, and ask them if they're familiar with the story or the topic. I usually get a response! Right now we're finishing up Priscilla Shirer's One In A Million. Here's what I wrote this time:
"My friends and I are doing a Bible study together about the Israelites in the wilderness. Have you read this Bible study? After they left Egypt and escaped from slavery, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years before they reached the promised land. It was frustrating, but God took care of them the whole time! He provided food and water, guided their travels, and He never left them. God is always with us, even when we feel like we are in the wilderness."
I wrapped up the letters with some affirmations for my kids: I reminded them that they are precious to me and I love them very much, and that I'm praying for them every day.
So that's what I'm taking to the post office this week! I am going to put everything in a flat rate envelope this morning, because my last package was so heavy, it cost more than $10 to send! What are you sending your kids for the holidays?
I think that's a great letter. I like how you are really sharing your life with these kids. And what fun extras!! They're going to really enjoy the stickers.
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