three gifts - a Christmas tradition

three gifts

While living in Virginia we had a wonderful home teacher who unknowingly had a tremendous influence on our celebration of Christmas. Brother Mann and his family had recently moved to Virginia and were living in a cramped apartment while they waited for their home in Texas to sell.  We learned that although the Mann's were struggling financially that Christmas they had refused any assistance from ward members. Brother Mann felt that their financial situation was an opportunity for their family to learn the true meaning of Christmas.  The night of his home teaching visit he shared with us that usually they gave their children three gifts - a reminder of the three gifts that were given to the baby Jesus as recorded in the New Testament.  That year however they had drawn names and each of the children made one homemade gift for another member of the family.  Brother Mann described the popsicle stick sculpture his son made and the other heartfelt gifts his family had prepared. I am sure he did not intend to influence our Christmas traditions but we were so impressed by this good home teacher that we adopted the Mann's tradition of keeping Christmas simple. Our tradition of giving three gifts has become a meaningful part of our Christmas celebration.

It was years later that we learned that as a child Grandma A. also had a tradition of receiving three gifts; something to wear, something to read and something to play with.