Many grandparents take a comment attitributed to Jesus by Paul that “it is better to give than to receive” quite literally when it comes to buying gifts for the grandkids. I’m sure there are a lot of grandchildren in this country who can’t wait for Christmas because they know grandma and grandpa will make their Christmas dreams come true. Yes, some of us have limited resources, so we can’t indulge our grandkids like some grandparents I know, but if we could we probably would. Am I right?

When it comes to gift-giving at Christmas, should grandparents be extravagant or exercise moderation? There are many opinions on both sides of that question. So, perhaps we should address a more basic question: If it is better to give than to receive, what does our gift-giving approach today have to do with what Christmas is all about, and do our gift-giving practices help or hinder our grandchildren understand and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas?

Okay, so that may be well and good, but does the Bible give us any definitive answers?

Let me be so bold as to suggest three biblical principles surface in my study that ought to be considered when it comes to gift-giving practices. I believe we all want to promote, rather than hinder, a way to keep the real reason for celebrating Christmas foremost in our grandkids’ thinking. So, here are three things for to ponder as you plan your gift-giving for this year:

1. Check your heart: Jesus reminds us that “where your treasure is there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). So what is the treasure you hold dearest? If your grandchildren are your most valuable treasure, then you have it all turned upside-down. Our grandchildren are and should be precious treasures to us, but if we treasure them more than we treasure Christ, we will probably not make good decisions about our gift-giving.
2. Weigh your motives: This is related to #1 above, but goes to the motives behind our actions. The Psalmist writes, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts…” (Ps. 139:23). As grandparents we may tempted to buy our grandchildren’s affection with the stuff we give them, especially at Christmas. Why do you give the gifts that you give? Is it so they will like you, or because you want to give something that truly has special meaning and purpose for their benefit, not yours?
3. Evaluate your thinking: Why do we give gifts at Christmas? Where did the practice come from? Have we gone beyond what it should be? How can we make it something meaningful today? These are questions we need to ask ourselves and then seek honest answers. These could also become conversation points we might want to have with our children and grandchildren when it’s appropriate.

I hope you understand that I am not Scrooge who believes Christmas and gift-giving is all hum-bug. Our heavenly Father loves to lavish gifts on His children. Most parents and grandparents love giving gifts to their children. But, are they good gifts? Do our gifts promote that which is beneficial, or do they tend to promote selfishness? Merchants are eager to sell the idea of lavish gift-giving because they profit greatly from our insatiable appetites for more stuff. But Jesus reminded us that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

The bottom line is this: does our approach to gift-giving promote personal greed, or sincere gratitude for God’s gift of redeeming love? Perhaps a few suggestions about some different kinds of gifts we might consider for our grandchildren would be helpful:

1. Give a DVD of one or more good movies with strong, godly messages. Two really good movies are God Is Not Dead and Woodlawn. Both these movies challenge viewers to consider what they really believe and how willing they are to take a firm stand on what they believe. There are also some great films for young chlldren too.
2. Gift a special outing with your grandchildren. Here’s a few examples…
   1. A day with grandma or grandpa doing something special. Take them to an art exhibit or museum, a knitting or quilting conference, a car show or whatever they might enjoy learning about. Afterwards go to their favorite eating spot and talk about what the day meant. Younger children also enjoy a day out with Nana and Papa. A trip to the park or the local Children’s Museum are possibilities.
   2. Take your older grandkids with you on a short-term mission trip. This does not have to be overseas trip. It could also be working a with a local ministry in your area like the Rescue Mission (even young chldren could do that). LifeTree Adventures offers opportunities in Alaska, Central America and the Caribbean that are better than throwing away money on a cruise.
   3. Give them a GrandCamp Christmas gift. If you want to invest wisely in the lives of your grandchildren, I can’t think of a better investment than GrandCamp. (Of course, I am biased, but it’s true!) There are four GrandCamp locations next summer for you and your grade-school aged grandchildren in Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York (Adirondacks) and South Carolina. Click here for more information.

Make your gifts count for something more than greed-driven stuff. Give a gift that impacts a life—especially your grandchild’s life because you’re not just spending on them, but spending yourself for them. Give something that is truly an investment in a legacy that matters for eternity.

Send me your ideas of meaningful gift-giving that I can share with our readers.