Christian retailers have good news for Christian parents looking for an alternative to the materialism and “gimmes” of the Christmas season. They say the perfect answer to the gift-giving quandary this time of the year is to buy Christian-themed presents for children.
Christian products have grown in great popularity as children’s Christmas gifts in recent years and the 2003 season offers parents plenty of opportunities for unique, reasonably priced and spiritual gifts.
At the LifeWay Christian Store in Birmingham, sales associate Gayle Gilbert often guides parents to products in the store’s large children’s section. She said several product lines are perennial favorites during the Christmas season.
“Of course, Veggie Tales are always very popular and there are so many things that go with the movies,” Gilbert said. “This year, there are character sets, plush items, the Piano Fun electronic keyboard and songbook set, and the Silly Squishy Dough Kit.”
Darrel Holcombe, owner of The Amen Corner in Pelham, agreed that Veggie Tales products are extremely popular. He also recommended the new Veggie Scribbler and the school bus with characters. “Those two toys will do really well,” he said.
Gilbert and Holcombe also said other videos make good Christmas presents. Holcombe pointed to the new Lenny and Sid video, “Tis the Reason,” which focuses on the difference between materialism and the real reason for the holiday season.
Other new videos include “Toying with the Truth,” the latest edition in the “Kids Ten Commandments” series; various videos from the Focus on the Family “Ribbits” series; “The Ballad of Little Joe,” the latest Veggie Tales video that portrays the Joseph story as a Western tale; and the various “Hermie and Friends” videos.
The “Hermie and Friends” series, which includes the adventures of Hermie the caterpillar and is based on books by Max Lucado, are very popular at Christmastime. Holcombe said he often recommends the series — videos, plush items, playsets and books to parents.
For a gift designed specifically for girls, Gilbert recommended the Faith Friends doll series. The “Gracie” dolls offer a perfect alternative to the regular baby dolls that are always popular at Christmastime, since they say prayers and sing songs. “There is also an African-American doll, which is really nice to have,” she said.
Board games are fun choices
Games are always a good gift choice, and there are plenty of alternatives to classic games such as “Monopoly” or “Operation.” Some of the most popular Christian games include “BibleMan,” “The Left Behind Game,” “Bible Charades” and “The Veggie Tales Board Game.”
Books remain a perennial favorite for Christmas gifts for children as well. Gilbert recommended several new books in particular: “A Parable About the King” by Beth Moore, “Rag Baby” by Karyn Hensley and “If Only I Had a Green Nose” and “Best of All” (both in the “You Are Special” series) by Max Lucado.
Music is another great option for parents of both young children and preteens. Some of the most popular CDs for younger children include the “Shout to the Lord” series, which has three different installments and two gospel installments. “These are very popular,” Holcombe said. The series also includes a DVD “dance party,” which provides sing-along songs to the familiar praise songs. Similar series include “Top Kidz” and “Songs 4 Worship Kids.”
With just weeks left in the Christmas shopping season, Christian retailers encourage parents to check out the possibilities available from the Christian market. That choice, they say, will add a new and more spiritual dimension to gift giving this year.
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