Day 6 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways (with Ruth Chou Simons)

Join us for the 12th Annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways at karenehman.com.

*Give Away has Ended*

I don’t have six geese a-laying for you today but I am sure our giveaway guest could paint a lovely water-color picture of them if I did! It is Day Six of my 12th annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways and the talented artist and author Ruth Chou Simons is joining us with a fabulous prize. If you’re just joining in, be sure to start at Day 1 here.

But first, here is another Christmastime idea for you!

Day 6: No More Christmas Without Christ

Christmas without CHrist? It happens all the time.

How odd it must seem to God to see a world “celebrating” the birth of His son, even going so far as to put his name in the title, when in reality, he is absent from much of the hoopla. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I love me some hoopla! I would never want Christmas to be serious and stuffy; more funeral-like than fun. But isn’t much of the hoopla all about the trivial? It results in nothing more than a glorified celebration of winter. Or retail shopping. Or a few guilt-easing coins tossed into the red metal bucket with a clink.

Then it is back to “Me, me, ME!!!!!”

What’s a gal to do?

In the midst of the “me-ism” (that even we moms can get caught up in—” Hint, hint dear family: I sure would love that new piece of jewelry!”) I try to remember two goals of Christmas:

Make it about Christ.

Do it for Christ.

Make it about Christ.

If you look carefully, He is all around.

And secondly, do it for Christ.

Are there lonely, left-out, sick or sad people that cross your path? Do something for them.

  •       Shovel a driveway after a heavy snowfall.
  •       Go help decorate or address Christmas cards for a shut-in.
  •       Serve in a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or house for battered women.
  •       Make snowmen outside the windows of nursing home patients or on the lawn of a children’s hospital.
  •       Scrape random windshields at the grocery store on a snowy and busy shopping day.
  •       Take a child whose parents have recently divorced to buy a gift for his mom or dad if you fear the ex-spouse will not do so this year.

Our family has done all of the above, and more. We’ve made it such an aim of our holidays to “do” rather than to “get”, that now our kids know no different.

Now, lest you think we are wonder family, let me assure you right now that the above activities haven’t always been done with a cheerful and cooperative attitude (parents included!) but when you are consistent, something happens.

Your kids will miss it terribly if you stop.

So as this season rolls on, remember…

Make it about Christ.

Do it for Christ.

And don’t forget to throw in a boatload of fun. Jesus’ birthday party should be a blast!

Day 6 Giveaway

My guest today is Ruth Chou Simons of Gracelaced. She’s giving away her beautiful Practicing Praise: A Year in the Psalms 2020 Calendar. Each month is adorned with a watercolor painting + a portion of a verse of truth that is worthy of rehearsing over and over again. As each month ends you can cut out the print + scripture memory card.

Ruth Chou Simons \\ Day 6 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways at karenehman.com.

Giveaway rules are listed below. Enjoy!

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Ruth Chou Simons

Ruth Chou Simons is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and speaker. She shares her journey of God’s grace intersecting daily life with word and paintbrush through an online shoppe at GraceLaced.com, an art and lifestyle brand that adorns the gospel through collectible, meaningful, and truth-filled products. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys—their greatest adventure. Ruth’s first book, GraceLaced, won a 2018 Christian Book Award. Connect with Ruth here on Instagram.

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12 Days of Christmas Giveaways Rules

  1. U.S. Addresses only please.
  2. You can comment on all 12 days (once per person) up until midnight Pacific time, Sunday, December 22. Each day will be linked below for easy reference.
  3. One daily winner will be chosen from each day’s comments.
  4. To enter to win the Grand Prize (worth over $150 and includes a $75 Amazon gift card, and two admission tickets (with meet-and-greet) to a concert with award-winning country music artist, Granger Smith, comment on, and share all 12 posts. You can use the share buttons below or repost and share on Instagram (my fave!) and tag me @karenehman.
  5. All winners (including Grand Prize) will be announced here on the blog on Monday, December 23, and contacted via email. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive your prizes. 
  6. If you’re not already subscribed, click HERE and you’ll receive an email notification each day of our series, plus my Bless Don’t Stress devotional.

DAY 6 GIVEAWAY QUESTION:

What is one act of kindness you’d like to try at this time of year?

Let us know in the comments and you’ll be entered in today’s giveaway. Remember, if you want to enter to win the grand prize, you must comment on and share all twelve days.

Affiliate links may be included. We only recommend products we know our readers will love!

Day 1 with Candace Cameron Bure

Day 2 with Alena Pitts

Day 3 with Jackie Drew/RadJoy

Day 4 with Courtney Joseph

Day 5 with Trillia Newbell

Day 7 with Phylicia Masonheimer

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398 Comments

  1. I serve with a local organization that feeds the homeless and I would like to do more and help those families. Ensure the families w kids have gifts for Christmas (specifically understanding the true meaning of CHRISTmas) and know they are loved .

  2. I REALLY would like to gather a group of friends to go out to eat, each of us armed with an extra $100 to tip the server. I think that would be amazing.

  3. We like to bake cookies for our local fire station and Sherriff’s. My kids make posters that say thank you for keeping us safe!

  4. We give gifts to kiddos from schools with low incomes but I also want to bring cheer and Gods hope to the assisted living home where my Grandma now lives. So we’ll bring cookies and daily devotionals and love on anyone who needs it.

  5. I would like to get my family to adopt a family for Christmas. We did so many years ago but never again. I’d like to figure out how to do it again.

  6. My husband and I do our best to shovel the sidewalk of our neighbors to either side of us. We have in the past made sure that kids have a gift for their parent. As we have gotten older, it seems like we “do” less. This year we are going to look for opportunities to show kindness to others. I think of the busy clerks in the stores – maybe hand them a gift card — even if it is just for coffee. Let them know we appreciate their work. Possibly an extra smile – hold the door open even if you have to wait for the person. Offer a sincere – “how are you?” and then listen to the response.

  7. A few years ago, I gave a $5 Starbucks card to a Target workerduring the Christmas season. It was something I got from one of your blogs. The clerk actually teared up with joy at the thought. So, I want to make it a more regular event as it is such a simple act of kindness!

  8. I would really like to pay a bill for a family in need. I believe that we get hyper focused, as a society on tangible gifts, but forget that some people can’t pay their bills.

  9. A main way is to just practice being kind no matter what, there are so many hurting that they may come off as unkind, so a little kindness in those lives can be a game changer!

  10. My act of kindness or just keeping Christ in Christmas, is to think of ways to get my extended family involved more in their relationship with Christ or share His love and my testimony to hopefully open their hearts to Him. It’s been on my mind for weeks and since Christmas with the extended family is at my home this year, I want to do something to really represent Christ. Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed.

  11. We have participated in Angel tree, buying gifts for children whose parents couldn’t afford them. I would like to take my son and serve food at the shelter, I think this would be very rewarding.

  12. I’ve always wanted to pay for the persons food in front of me at a drive thru but have never done it. I will this season!

  13. I love these ideas Karen! I serve at a soup kitchen/food pantry weekly and I hope and pray they see Jesus in me weekly. We get a lot of donations of commercially made cookies but few home made so I am going to make some Christmas cookies to share with our clients.
    We had 106 families come to our Friday food pantry that represented 265 family members.

  14. My friend wants to start doing educational things with her 2-yr-old. Since I used to work at a daycare, I came up with a Christmas themed lesson plan, and did it with him when I visited her. She seemed to appreciate it, and it was a lot of fun!

  15. My daughter and I have crocheted scarves and hats for the homeless. We are taking them down town to put them around poles with a tag saying free stay warm. God bless you.

  16. As a family, we try to find a family in need and provide them with yummy food, toys, crafts, basic necessities, reminders of God’s love, and lighten their load during the Christmas season.

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