Dollar Bills on the Door: An Advent Assessment

So, I thought I'd bring a little dose or reality and a little closure to my previous post of our Christmas advent plan.  Keep in mind that I'm dealing with 2 teenagers. . . enough said right?  Anyway, more often than not, my kid's doors would look like this:

After a while of letting things build up, they'd disappear.  I'm really praying they weren't lying to me and that none of the bills lined their own wallets. 😏 But they did report on how they used their door-dollars.  Giving away included purchasing toys to be donated to operation home front, surprising a little girl at the grocery store with a dollar bill, leaving them on windshields of cars and giving money to local homeless individuals.  

At the end, they'd both saved up a bunch that we planned to donate at the Light The World vending machines on temple square, but they were all closed/out-of-order that day, so the money went to help a homeless pet owner, and a homeless woman reportedly suffering from Crohn's (wow - what a horrid combination). 

Even if they didn't have life-changing experiences with the dollar-bill-on-the-door experiment, it at least made me conscious of how I was choosing to help and serve every morning as I taped the bills to my kiddo's doors.  Did we change the world?  Nah.  Did it give miraculous, life-changing help to someone?  Probably not.  But it did soften my heart and alter my perspective, and it was a memorable way to anticipate the celebration of Jesus Christ - He who gave all.  

I'd love to hear how any of your experiments turned out!

Dollar Bills on the Door: An Advent Experiment

Like a lot of folks, we have tried all sorts of Advent calendar activities.  Through the years, we've tried all sorts of festive countdowns:

• We've had the small treat or gift each day that rotates through the family members.  
• We've read a scripture about Christ each day.  
• We've read an inspirational Christmas story every day.
• We've donated small gifts to a neighbor in need of a little TLC.

And yet, as my kids are in the teenage phase of life, I wonder if I've failed to raise my children to be generous, giving adults.  Fingers still crossed as I remind myself that teenagers aren't fully baked yet. Man parenting is a recurring act of faith!  And so with those thoughts percolating in my head as Thanksgiving approached, I had an idea.

Everyday from December 1st to the 24th, I will tape a $1 bill to the door of my kid's bedrooms.  The first day will also contain this note:

Our advent activity this year will be an individual experience in giving.  Every morning you will find a $1 bill taped to your door.  This money does not belong to you.  You may not keep it.  You have to give this away to someone in need.  You can slip the bill into a friend's locker, leave it at a grocery store checkout for the person behind you, or even leave it on a car windshield.  But you must give it away.  You may also choose to save the $24 up and give a larger, more thought-out gift to someone you know who could really use a little help and a little love.  On Christmas day, you must report on how you gave away your bills.  Hopefully this will not just give you insight into being more generous, but give you an idea of one of the Savior's parables of the talents.  What you give away and share with others becomes a greater blessing than selfishly keeping it to yourself. 

Love, 

Mom and Dad

I don't care if they will slip it to a homeless person on a street corner, or leave it in a vending machine for the next person to use.  I just want them to have more opportunities to think outside themselves and give to another person.

I am reminding myself to not expect anything besides grumbling and griping.  I highly doubt they will have a life-changing experience, but I hope they learn at least a little something.  If nothing else, it will fill their memory banks with stories to tell their future children about their strange mother who did weird stuff like taping money to their doors during December.  I for one have already had a bit of a mental shift already and we haven't even started.  I'm thinking of how on a daily basis to give something to those around me. As one my favorite hymns says, "Because I have been given much, I too must give."