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Christmas Straw Encourage kindness and unselfishness in the family by starting the tradition of "Christmas Straw": First collect some straw and place it in a basket by the side of an empty little cradle or basket representing a manger. On the day you begin, draw names. Then during the days ahead, each person does a thoughtful deed each day without their recipient knowing it (like making his bed for him while he's in the shower or polishing her shoes while she's at work). These little acts of kindness have nothing to do with money or "store-bought" gifts. Instead, they are ways of meeting the needs of others. They may include leaving a note of encouragement or making a treat. Each time someone does a thoughtful deed, he gets to place a bit of straw in the manger. By Christmas Eve, Baby Jesus (a doll wrapped in a "swaddling blanket" or nativity character) has a cradle full of straw on which to lie. background by Cathye |