12 Days of Service: Day 1

Today we started our 12 Days of Service (or 12 Days of Christmas Kindness) tradition. We started this tradition the first year we were married and have continued it since then. We've tweaked and changed certain activities over the years, but the premise remains the same - spread love and kindness to those around us during the holiday season. As an added bonus, it also helps our kids focus on others instead of focusing on the gifts under the tree. To be honest, there is a lot of prep work that goes into some of these activities. On a particularly stressful day, I wondered if it was worth it. I wondered if the reason behind the tradition was lost on the kids and if it was simply another holiday activity to take up time...until I heard Dallin say that this is one of his favorite traditions. Sometimes that's all a mother needs to hear. I hope this inspires their own traditions. I hope this helps them see the many ways that you can serve and be kind. Service doesn't require some grandiose project. Kindness doesn't demand recognition. And, Christmas isn't the only time to spread love. In any case, we started our 12 Days off by inviting a family over for a fun Family Home Evening event. The night's theme was the Christmas Star. I planned to read the account of the wise men in Matthew 2:1-9 and discuss the faith, courage, strength and love those men showed as they followed the star. I prepared a scavenger hunt that eventually led them to the star atop our tree with a little poem. I baked 3 dozen homemade sugar cookies to decorate, and then I received the news that the family we invited was unable to make it because some of the children were ill. I was a little disappointed but not discouraged. Instead of spreading kindness to just one family this night, we shared with multiple families. We had our lesson and scavenger hunt as planned. Then we decorated the cookies and decided to deliver some plates and the Christmas Star poem to our friends and neighbors. I thoroughly enjoyed observing the boys' enthusiasm as they "searched" for the star and decorated the cookies. I admired the thought they took in to whom to choose to the deliver the plates. I was proud of the young men that kindly spoke with the plates' recipients. Yes, this tradition is worth it. I pray, like the wise men, my boys will have the faith, courage, strength and love to seek out the Savior, to follow the "star", and to return home to our Father in Heaven.