Children typically have no trouble understanding the concept of getting gifts for Christmas, but helping them to understand that it’s even more important to give is much more difficult to teach. That’s where the Sparkle Box comes in! The Sparkle Box is both a children’s book and a tradition. Written by Jill Hardie, and beautifully illustrated by Christine Kornacki, it tells the story of a boy named Sam who notices a beautiful sparkling silver box on the fireplace mantel. As he and his family do various acts of kindness over the holiday season, his parents slip pieces of paper into the box. On Christmas Day, Sam finds out that the Sparkle Box is actually a birthday gift for Jesus! Every good deed they did for someone else that season is written on a piece of paper and read out on Christmas Day as a reminder that acts of kindness reflect Jesus’ love. At the back of The Sparkle Box book is a real glittery box that kids can put together to make a Sparkle Box for their own family! Watch The Sparkle Box book trailer below for a peek inside this inspiring book:
THE SPARKLE BOX - Official Book Trailer from Ideals Books on Vimeo.
My husband and I will be starting the Sparkle Box tradition with our boys this year. I’m excited to see if it motivates them to find ways in which they can bring the Christmas spirit to those who are less fortunate. I’ll also encourage them to add a piece of paper each time they do something kind to a family member or are especially helpful at home to teach them that family is important, too.
If you’re looking for an idea this Christmas for showing your children the true meaning of Christmas, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of The Sparkle Box. Read the story together, assemble the box, and start filling it with good deeds! Your kids can even create their own special Sparkle Box as a holiday craft. Learn more about The Sparkle Box at http://thesparklebox.idealsbooks.com.
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