a generous Christmas gesture // from a child's heart

This girl. 

She has been saving every penny for months to buy an iPad (whether she is actually allowed to have one is a whole other story!). 

Any mention of spending her money on other things has been met w horror - eye on the prize and all that. 

Just before her final week of school, she announced that she wanted to cut open her precious money tin and spend all her money on a gift for her beloved teacher. 

(Over $35 that she has slowly saved!)

Part of me wanted to tell her she didn't need to spend it all, especially as I'd already gotten a gift. But how could I quash such heartfelt generosity? I couldn't. Pretty sure if there is a spirit of Christmas it looks something like this little angel's gesture.

Her little brother, inspired by her genorosity, decided he wanted to do the same. Though he hadn't saved as much and decided he didn't want to quite spend every penny, he was eager to choose out his own gifts for his beloved teachers.

And thus, though I have a 'no shops in December' policy, I took the kids to the shopping centre. Lily originally wanted to buy her teacher a full sized live Christmas tree!! But after some discussion, she decided that a gorgeous little wooden table top tree (that he could use year after year) would be just as good - as well as two sweet ornaments. Eli also carefully chose two ornaments all by himself.

There is something so fitting and so very moving about witnessing children give so generously at Christmas - purely out of love and appreciation. 

My children, they teach me so much xx

PS I do believe her teacher got a little teary,  he was so very touched by her gift and the explanatory note :)