Our Annual Christmas Giving for Kids

Christmas is fast approaching. Only few days from now and we will celebrate our year 2017 Christmas Day. What better way to celebrate it, is to spend it with our love ones as well as sharing whatever little we have for those who wanted to celebrate with us even we don't know them . I refer to the unknown and unexpected visitors for Christmas day-those kids who will greet you Merry Christmas, will kiss your hands (Mano Po in our language ), and hoping that you will give something in return whether it be in cash or in kind. But normally, cash is given by our family.

Generosity is the name of the game during Christmas day. During this time, bunch of kids will pass by your house from time to time until dusk envelopes the place, especially if you live in the province. My parents lives in a community where most family are not well to do families, that includes mine. But on Christmas Day, all wanted to make everyone happy. All family wants to share something for someone especially the kids. And this tradition has been observed by us for the longest time.

But we must admit, that it is not always raining blessings at all times. There will come a time that we will hit rock bottom in our life and the worst to feel it or to experience it is during Christmas season. A time when everyone arounds you are celebrating to the fullest but yours can't be the same. A time when someone will give you something but you can't give back in return. A time that most are in abundance while yours are just simply enough for you and your family. A time that you cannot afford to look into the innocent eyes and breaks their hope and expectations. But nothing is more painful to see, than to see your parents trying to explain to kids promises that were broken and begging to kids that they will mend it by next year.

A brief description about my parents, they are already old and they live by their own. All of us their children are living away from them. They are not perfect just like anyone else, but I can say that they are loved by many not only by us,and that includes neighbors , relatives, friends and even children. These children whether part of our relatives or not, are one of those who help to look at them while we are living here in the city. In fact, should my parents will be needing something that they cannot afford to do, they will just ask any available child/children in the vicinity to do it for them, and that child/children will do whatever errands that they will command but sometimes in exchange for a little amount of tips. LOL Very wise kids. So I cannot blame my parents if they want children to feel special on Christmas day, after all it is the time of the year where everyone is kind. After all these children becomes part of their daily life.

It is okay if children who will rush to your home are part of your neighbors, part of your relatives, part of your community or let us just say someone that you used to know. At least if you cannot give anything to them, you can say it directly to them for they know the real life condition you are in, chances are their parents or family might be in the same situation too , so it will be easy for them to understand should you can't give anything to them during Christmas day.

But what if, one of those visitors who will ask for Christmas gifts are someone we don't know, someone that is a stranger to us? I think it is subjective to each one of us whether it will be hard or easy to tell them that we cannot give. I personally had a hard time if that is the case.

Anyway those are what I witnessed back in previous years. I still remember that there was a year that I don't like to spend Christmas with them just to avoid the bulk numbers of children that comes in group, for I lack anything to give for my online income is not enough for many and I am always in tight budget and just what I said before, it pains me to see my parents asking for understanding from the children that are asking for gifts.

And I think it was in December of year 2015, that I started to make a plan for the next Christmas season. I told mysef that I need to save even coins just to have something enough to give on the coming Christmas day. So in December of last year, I was able to save a little amount of coins, I think it was around 3OO plus pesos ( roughly around $6 in our current rate today) You must be amazed, or laughing with that amount right? I 'am too hehehe but that amount of coins were enough to make my parents especially my mother to be happy for she is the one who entertains every kid that visits and that will pass by our house. That money were enough for a number of stranger kids who wants to feel how it is like Christmas with us.

How did my mother able to fit that budget for those kids? Just like any mother, my mother is good in making the budget fit for all, as to how she did it, maybe she used her charm again to beg for forgiveness if she can only give a little amount of money. And I can still even heard her, haggling for the amount and even tell those who are not so kid anymore to be more understanding if only those little ones will benefit that time for the Christmas season and promise again that they will mend it for the next Christmas. So now you know what will be the scenario again this coming Christmas Day to our place. LOL

As I said before I planned to save coins right after year 2015 and year 2016 was the first execution of that planned. And exactly two years now that I observed the same saving process so we can give something this coming Christmas for those kids. But unlike before when it was only me who are saving, this time my younger brother joined me in that plan.

To tell about our saving strategy for the whole year round, is just simple. For every change we get from our daily budget , that extra money will go to our two saving bank buddies. And I want you to meet them.

Meet Katkat and Mr. Champ our saving buddies. Both are our keepers of wealth. Both are the ones who knows how truly rich we are. LOL

Mr. Champ has been with us since early childhood. As you can see his color is somewhat fading now. He was a gift to us by our dearest relative way way back. He is a product toy promo of a now well knowned and successful burger store here in our country. Yes he is a toy bank but only two years ago did we start to used the purpose it serve.

And this is Katkat. She has been with us since year 2015. My brother received it from his office Christmas Party. She is what I called our immovable lucky cat. I always tap his ringing pendant if I want something good news online. LOL I'am weird right? hehehe

This morning, me and my brother were talking about this incoming Christmas Day. He asked me if when will I go to the province, to which I answered that I would rather stay here so I can search materials here in the city for my Steemit blogging. Then he insisted that I should spend my Christmas with my parents rather to be alone here for I might also get blogging materials there too. And then he reminded me if I already counted how much money does our two saving buddies have so that we can carry it on our way to the province. I told him that I will just count it this morning.

And that is what I did. I took Katkat and Mr Champ with me and gently I removed one by one all the coins and bills inside the toy bank. Mr. Champ is solely for coins only while Katkat is a combination of bills and coins.

Mr. Champ gave us (P)446 pesos or around $9, while Katkat gave us (P)906.25 pesos or around $18 and that gives us a total saving for this year of (P)1,352.25 pesos (roughly estimated $27). This amount might still be small but I know mother will do wonders to make it fit again.

Impressive, this total amount is greater that what I used to saved a year ago. Remember I only managed to saved around 300 pesos that time. Should we never touched these two toy banks whenever we were short of our daily budget, maybe we can save more than that total amount of 1.352.25 pesos. This our own little way to save will help us to prepare for kids this year and maybe the year after. Hope online income will become more stable and good in amount. LOL

I'm sure that more kids will be happy now than before with this amount of savings. I cannot help but to compute how many children can benefit with this budget this year. So this is just my assumption for the computation. Should we will give children 10 pesos each, that budget will reach 135 children. Should we give children 20 pesos each, 67 kids will be happy and if we give 50 pesos each , only 27 will be benefitting from the savings. How did I come up with the figures? Just divided the total number of our savings which is the P1.352.25 pesos with that currency base of 10, 20, 50 and 100, coins and bills. I also discounted the idea of giving each children 100 pesos and I disregard choosing it for only handful can get it.

I think I know now how my mother will divide that savings to the kids. I'm guessing that she will opted between the idea of giving 10 pesos or 20 pesos each to every kid visitors. The more kids that will receive it, the more merrier it to celebrate Christmas. After all, as we all know, it is the thought that counts. And I know my mother very well, should there will be remaining money at the end of the day, she willl just keep it and have it ready for those people that will come and ask for gifts right after Christmas day. Otherwise she will just keep it forever or she will just use it for our daily needs. That's how trift and frugal she is.

We are lucky enough that even our parents will give a small amount of money or even if they will pass on giving for those who are old ones, we never encounter yet people who will talk rudely if you cannot give something to them. It is nice to know that people, adult and child alike are receptive nowadays when such is the case.

Just a friendly reminder : If you have nothing to give, then say it frankly in a nice way, that nothing can be given and I am sure that people will just silently and peacefully leave and still wishing you a Merry , Blissful and Blessed Christmas. And I will repeat, it is always the thought that counts, no matter how big or small the gift is. Or even whether there is a gift or not, it is always how we express to remember someone that matters.

And if we have something to give we should have a cheerful heart in giving. And to quote what does Saint Francis of Assisi once said " It is in giving that we receive". If we possesed a cheerful heart in giving, then the Good Lord our God will return it in hundred fold.

Thank you for reading and I wish everyone a Wonderful Christmas ahead of you!

puroypoi dec. 20, 2017