The importance of teaching our children the lesson of giving this Christmas

When I heard about the African Children’s Choir on Twitter, it really moved my heart. I wanted Shelley Lawrence to share more information with you, because I know when you hear the story it will affect you the same way.

Guest post by: Shelley Lawrence

The Holidays are a joyous time, full of festivities. It can be easy to lose ourselves in the bright lights, latest gadgets and over the top TV commercials – especially if you are a child.

How amazing is the feeling of watching your child on Christmas morning, bursting with excitement as they dive into their stocking, piled high with treats. We watch them as the tear through the glistening wrapping, uncovering the latest toys, games and electronics.

But what if one of those stocking stuffers also taught them a valuable lesson? The lesson of giving to other children less fortunate than themselves.

I love Christmas, it turns me into a big kid. We most certainly deck the halls in our house, and
the doors, and the stairs oh… and the garden – but when I became a mom I decided to use this
magical time to teach my daughter the importance of giving, so she would be grateful for everything she is fortunate enough to have.

My husband and I decided that every year we would sacrifice a stocking stuffer gift that we
would normally purchase and instead make a donation to a children’s charity on Belle’s behalf for the same amount.

We write a note about how proud we are of her for giving up a gift to help others and put it into her stocking.

She’s still so young, but this will be a tradition in our house, and we will keep the cards to show her as she grows.

A small gesture, but one that not only raises much needed funds for a charity, it also helps us teach our little girl the importance of giving.

This year we will be doing just that with the inspirational African Children’s Choir, and their campaign Give up a Gift for Africa.

The Choir perform around the world, acting as the ambassadors for Africa’s most in need
children – raising much needed awareness and funds for the education of the continent’s most
vulnerable children, as well as their own education, as they go.

Their campaign ‘Give up a Gift for Africa’ appeals to parents, like you, to turn one of your child’s stocking stuffer gifts into a donation to The African Children’s Choir this Christmas .

Once the donation has been made you will receive a link to a printable Christmas card, via your confirmation email, to put into your child’s stocking as a thank you – there’s even space to write them a special message.

Money raised by the Give up a Gift for Africa campaign will go towards both The African Children’s Choir programme, and the many other essential programmes run by their official fundraising charity Music for Life, who have helped educate over 52,000 vulnerable African children in their 28 years.

So you too can teach your children the important message of giving this Christmas by donating to The African Children’s Choir on behalf of your child, helping the charity create ChangeMakers for the future of Africa.

For more information about Give up a Gift for Africa please visit
http://africanchildrenschoir.com/help/give-up-a-gift-for-africa/

Or to DONATE NOW via First Giving.

The African Children’s Choir are also on:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/africanchildrenschoir

Twitter: @acchoir #ACCGiveupaGift

 

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