Mum cancels Christmas for her 'ungrateful' kids
Lisa Henderson is taking a no-more-Santa stand after her boys' continual 'disrespectful behaviour'
It's a threat we've probably all made to overexcited children in the stressy run-up to the big day: "Behave yourself, or Christmas is cancelled!" But what if your kids carry on misbehaving? Do you actually go through with your threat?
Well, one mum in the US has done just that. Lisa Henderson, from Hurricane, Utah, has cancelled Christmas this year for her 3 boys, Caleb, 11, Davis, 8, and Beckham, 5 (pictured, above, with Lisa and her husband, posing – pre-cancellation – for the family's Christmas card).
Why? Well, Lisa want to teach her sons a lesson for being "ungrateful" and stop them from being "disrespectful".
She's also written a post on her blog Over the Big Moon about her controversial decision because she wants to "empower parents to feel like it’s okay to take a stand".
"We have not cancelled putting up decorations, celebrating the birth of our Saviour, or any of our other heartwarming traditions," Lisa said. "But we have cancelled presents, Santa, and stockings."
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Instead of receiving presents this year, the 3 boys will be learning the "pleasure of giving". So far, they've gathered unwanted clothing in their local neighbourhood and packaged it up, with money and sweets from their Halloween stashes, to send to children in a village in the Philippines that was hit hard by Typhoon Haiyan last year.
"Instead of being sad over giving up their Halloween candy, they were excited and kept wanting to give more and more," Lisa said.
The family are also looking into an Adopt a Grandparent program, and have invited several older widows and couples in their area for Christmas lunch.
The kids will still get a few presents from their grandparents and other family members, which Lisa says will be "more cherished because the quantity will be less".
So what will they be doing on Christmas morning instead of opening presents from Santa? "We can enjoy our cinnamon rolls, play games as a family, and truly enjoy the few presents they did get [from other family]," Lisa said. "I am almost certain this will be the best Christmas they ever have!"
So what do you think? Would you/could you ever cancel Christmas for your kids? Let us know in the comments below!
Photos: Instagram / Lisa Henderson
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