Celebrate Acts of Service with Your Family this Christmas

“I want to be like Mary, embracing my smallness so I can see His greatness, taking God at His Word, and believing Him to do greater things than my heart could ever comprehend.” -Gretchen, founder of Well Watered Women

The Giving Manger, available at Seasons Gifts

By Gerrie Blackwelder

Deep in our hearts, we all hope to give the gift that truly touches someone’s heart and one that will inspire a real connection to the Christmas Story. It seems that Allison Hottinger of California has found success in doing just that. She and her husband created a gift called The Giving Manger. Practicing the proper celebration of Christ’s birth in her own home became increasingly important. When she created a tradition that touched her children deeply, she decided that others may want to sweep aside commercialism to create a tradition that “helps shift focus back to giving.

This simple, yet beautiful gift reshapes the Christmas tradition and The Giving Manger box, which includes all items needed to create the tradition in your home, is now available in Seasons Gifts.

According to the Hottinger family, whose business designs and sells The Giving Manger, the family “spent countless hours writing the book, carving a baby out of clay and hand-crafting the wooden manger.”  Now, the Hottinger’s hope to “spread kindness and promote service” through other families as together, they construct a beautiful manger scene with their children, while sharing stories of daily giving.  As children share stories of giving, straw is added to the manger to prepare for the Christ child.

As you plan for your holiday season and hope to celebrate in an appropriately Christ centered way, consider The Giving Manger (a book, a wooden manger, a bundle of straw, and Baby Jesus) for your family, and perhaps reach out to another family to share this beautiful message of giving and support.