I loved reading all the ways our sponsored children send us Christmas greetings. They are so endearing and sweet. And my sponsored girls are no different. I eagerly ripped open Munni’s card and got a good chuckle:

“Hi, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year greetings from my family. We are all sing at Christmas programme. Please visit Bangladesh at Christmas. God bless you. Goodbye.”

From your lips to God’s ears, Munni. How great of a Christmas present would that be?

While I won't travel across an ocean this Christmas, I will spend time with my family. That is a common theme for many of our sponsored children – time with family. So I started thinking about my family’s Christmas traditions and how I could describe them for my girls.

Okay, and this quote from 9-year-old Sandaru may have helped, too:

“Have you got ready for Christmas? Have you decorated the Christmas tree? Has the house been decorated? Have you made the Christmas cake? Is it snowing for you? Happy Christmas to you!”

How did I get ready for Christmas? Should I explain that our tree is actually a house plant because we don’t have room for a larger tree? That we bake cookies instead of a special cake? That I wish for snow every year? Those are all great places to start, but before you begin a letter to your sponsored child, keep these things in mind:

1. Encourage two-way descriptions: share a favorite Christmas memory and ask your child for his. Explain traditions and how they are special to you, but remember to ask your child if they have any family traditions.
2. Do mention church services, favorite hymns or carols. Don’t dwell on denominations or theology. And if you sponsor a child in the Middle East, see number 6 below. 
3. Don’t be afraid to mention difficulties. For example, two of my grandparents died around Christmas. It is a bittersweet season for my family (especially for my mom) so we usually open presents early in an effort to cheer my mom up. It’s silly but it generally works. My point is that tragedy is a part of life. Your child feels honored to pray for you, and his or her parents do, too. If this is a difficult season for you, share why and welcome their prayers.
4. If you mention opening presents, please don’t describe what you received. The sheer quantity (let alone quality) would humble a family in the developing world. Because your sponsored child attends a Mission of Mercy project, they are guaranteed to receive a present this year. But it may be the only present they receive – so please be sensitive to these differences.
5. Keep descriptions of the family tree simple: in many cultures, cousins are on equal footing with siblings, and often aunts, uncles, and grandparents act as parents. Do emphasize that your family gathers together (which is highly valued in much of the world) but keep the commentary on family dynamics to a minimum unless it is a specific prayer request.
6. Note: if you sponsor a child in the Middle East, please keep our rules for writing in mind. And if you have questions about that, please call us at (800)864-0200.

Christmas is a major celebration for these children, even if Christianity is not the most common religion. Tomorrow we’ll share how the projects in one of our countries makes Christmas special for the children. Be sure to come back – tomorrow’s post has the sweetest pictures!