The Other List

I handed out pencils and blank white paper to the kids as they eagerly sat at the kitchen table, with their hands out-stretched. "Time to write our Christmas lists!" I announced. This was only the second time I've had the kids write official "Christmas Lists." I found the lists particularly helpful last year, a pseudo-contract, a concrete wish list to counter the wobbling interests and wants of my children. Without further instruction I let them get to it. And I monitored from a distance, in the kitchen, as I prepared dinner.

I paid only half-attention as I stirred the bubbling spaghetti sauce. It wasn't until I heard something strange, that I really perked up and listened. "How do you spell caroling?" Meya asked Madi. Caroling? I thought. Now what new toy has to do with caroling? Then T-man asked, "How do you spell gingerbread?" I put my spoon down and walked over to the table.

There on the white paper were indeed lists. But they were not the lists I had expected. Instead of toys, books, and games listed - a present wish list - my children had created a doing wish list. At the top of Madi's list was "decorate Christmas tree and sing carols." Leasie wrote "take cookies to neighbors" and "act out the nativity." Other items on their lists included drink hot chocolate, have a fire in the fireplace, go sledding, go see the lights at the temple, build a gingerbread house, and do secret service for a needy family.

I was shocked...and moved. I let dinner simmer unattended while I sat down to help them finish their lists and then read them outloud. Then I got a piece of paper and wrote my own list.

The kids have since written their "Santa Letters" (their gift wish lists) which we promptly stuffed in envelopes and mailed. But their true Christmas wish lists are tucked safely in my journal as an important lesson to me, taught to me by my children, about the most important part of the Christmas season. Family. Traditions. Christ. Togetherness. Love. Service. Doing.