The Dollar Store Christmas

This year we felt it was time that our big kids start to realize that Christmas means giving, not just getting. We wanted them to give presents this year so they could experience the joy of making someone else happy. Marcus and Will both were really excited about getting presents for their family and wrapping them. There are a lot of hard lessons to learn about Christmas though, and like most people, I think they mostly enjoyed the act of shopping more than the actual act of giving. To make this exercise economically feasible, Marcus and Will got to do all their shopping at the dollar store. (Marcus's school does a "Santa's Workshop" where he got to pick out additional gifts for people.) I didn't provide any help with the selection of the gifts because I wanted it to be something that came from the heart of both boys. I let them pick out a toy for Sean and Aaron at Target just because there wasn't much at the dollar store that was suitable for babies. I thought Marcus did pretty good at selecting gifts. Will mostly just grabbed things off the shelf and assigned a name to them. So, a good lesson in giving for Marcus and Will, and no need to have a gag gift grab bag this year for the rest of us! Here were the gifts.

Marcus gave:
Watch - Greg
Dish Towel - Grammy
Flashlight - Pap pap
Serving Tray - Grandma
Play Money - Grandpa
Christmas Napkins - Uncle Randy
Clapping Sound Maker - Aunt Kim
Markers - Maria (cousin)
Cars Watch - Scott (cousin)
Glow in the Dark Necklace - Uncle Willie
Stuffed Santa - Aunt Sindy
Toy Story Coloring Project - Uncle Jeremy
Silly String - Aunt Bethany
Ninja Action Figures - Will
Rope Tug Toy - Maya (our dog)

Will Gave:
Mini Notebooks - Greg
Christmas Plate - Grammy
Glass Bowl - Pap pap
Air Horn - Grandma
Foam Craft Sheets - Grandpa
Ice Scrapper - Uncle Randy
Baby Shower Decorating Streamers - Aunt Kim
Flashlight - Maria (cousin)
Money Bank Shaped like a Crayon - Scott (cousin)
Index Cards - Uncle Willie
Plastic Bowls - Aunt Sindy
Snowflake Ornaments - Uncle Jeremy
Plastic Cups - Aunt Bethany
Ninja Action Figures - Marcus
Rawhide Bone - Maya (our dog)