Spiritual Christmas Family Heritage Gift Ideas

Gifts given in the true spirit of Christmas may include family heirlooms.

Christmas is the holiday celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Gifts are usually exchanged at Christmas as symbols of the love Christ felt for the world. Gifts that honor this true spirit of Christmas may also include items a family can maintain as heirlooms.

Quilts

Heirloom quilts can be used as bedding or hung as tapestries.

Quilts are special items that can be passed from generation to generation. Quilts are thick blankets made by sewing patches of patterned or screen-print fabric together in a pattern. They can be handmade or store-bought. Christmas quilts can be made with biblical images or embroidered with a line of inspirational scripture from the Bible.

Tree Ornaments

Christmas tree ornaments can be hand painted with Christian symbols, such as the cross.

Ornaments are hung on Christmas trees in celebration of the season. Special ornaments are often passed through families for hanging on Christmas trees year after year. Create your own ornament or purchase an ornament with a spiritual message, such as a dove with an olive branch for hope or peace.

Jewelry

An ornate rosary given at Christmas may be passed through generations.

Jewelry with sentimental value is often kept within families and passed from grandmother to granddaughter or mother to daughter. Silver or gold crucifixes, inscriptions of Bible verses or special designs depicting angels, mended hearts or sheep are keepsakes that will be cherished by the recipient for the implied spiritual meaning.

Charitable Gifts

Gifts given to wildlife sanctuaries will ensure that future generations know the same birds you did.

In the spirit of gifts that will last a lifetime, gift givers may consider making charitable donations to environmental causes, such as a national park, a conservatory or an animal sanctuary. Some environmental organizations allow donors to rent an acre of endangered wetland. Others gifts may include sponsoring a child in a poor village through an international aid organization.

References

• The History Channel: Chrismas