The Sparkle Box (A Christmas Book)
We love reading Christmas books and are always looking for new ones to add to our collection. The Sparkle Box by Jill Hardie is a new one for us this year and it’s a beautiful book. It’s been a great reminder that not every gift comes from a store and that sometimes doing for others is the best gift you can give yourself.
The story centers around Sam and his family. Sam is a young boy who is very excited for Christmas. He loves the traditions, the parties, the holiday foods, and, of course, presents! He’s very interested in a sparkling gift box that is beneath the tree but all his parents will tell him is that they will open it together on Christmas morning.
Throughout the holiday season Sam and his family perform many acts of charity and kindness. For example, when he and his mother went to the park to look at the lights, he saw a man lying on a park bench. His mother explained that not everyone has a place to live. Later Sam sees the same man enter the store he and his mother were shopping in and so Sam gives him a pair of mittens and a candy bar bought with his own money.
On Christmas morning he is anxious to open the sparkly box and when he does he is surprised. The box is filled only with slips of paper. His parents pull them out and they read them together: donating blankets and food to the homeless, giving a man in need mittens and a treat, and other good deeds. His mother explained that it was a good way to remember how they had honored the true meaning of Christmas.
The book is beautifully illustrated by Christine Kornacki. They definitely kept Bubbles’ attention as we read through it. And included in the back of the book is your own sparkle box so you can start a similar tradition with your own family.
What ways do you teach your family about giving during the holidays?
About Liza
Liza is a mom and wife living in Louisville whose family includes a toddler, high school junior, and college junior. When she's not doing the Pocoyo dance with her toddler she is either trying out new recipes and craft projects discovered on Pinterest, planning new adventures for her family, shopping on Amazon, or dreaming about Disney.
By selecting some “angels” off of the local angel tree and purchasing gifts for children we do not know.
We bring food to the food bank together and also donate a couple of toys to a local toy drive. I make sure I explain that there are families who are not as fortunate and it’s important to help them.
we donate food to the local food bank when we grocery shop
thanks
We go through our cupboards together and choose food to give through school to the food bank – while shopping, we allow the kids to choose a gift [up to a certain price] and then get them to give it up at the donation area.
iliek this book i have not seen it before it would do coupleof kid good to read it
When my kids were younger, I took them to the Angel tree at the mall and had them pick out an angel to buy gifts for. Now, my daughter and I adopt a family and a senior citizen and shop for them together.
We do the angel tree program
We go through the toy boxes and donate to goodwill, and also participate in Giving Trees.
I haven’t started with my 3 year old yet but when my daughter was younger we would make shoe boxes for Samaritans Purse.