‘Tis better to give than to receive. Even though the economy is in a tizzy, Christmas is still an opportunity to teach your children about the magic of being selfless. One Christmas, during a year of general economic difficulty, my parents took us to purchase several shopping carts full of toys. We dressed up like elves and delivered the gifts to random children in a needy neighborhood near my father’s office. I’ll never forget how that made me feel.

For your older kids, The Gift of the Magi is a timeless, touching tale about a couple who discovers the deep meaning of acting selflessly. After reading it, help them take the opportunity to act selflessly this Christmas and find a gift for someone who needs it more than they do. If your family is having a tough season, suggest that they sacrifice one of their own gifts this year for someone in greater need. It’ll build character and create a Christmas memory they’ll never forget.

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The Polar Express has always been one of my favorite Christmas books. The magical storytelling and imaginative art combine for a classic that you and your kids will read year after year. When Warner Bros. set out to make a film based on the book, they certainly had their work cut out for them. Using state-of-the art technology (especially considering it was 2004!) and a unique animation style, Robert Zemeckis breaths life into Chris Van Allsburg’s illustrations. Virtually every image from the book is depicted by a frame in the movie.

Though the experimental animation falls short of its potential in some scenes, the movie was an immediate hit in our home . . . and then we saw it in IMAX 3D! The audio experience alone was literally breathtaking, and I’ll never forget feeling like the train was coming out of the screen and stopping inches from my face. In some scenes it even felt as if snow were falling inside the theater. We’ve gone to experience it in IMAX for three consecutive years, but you’d better catch it this year because there’s no telling how many more seasons IMAX will continue to showcase this Christmas spectacle.

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Between an early game of football and the big feast, I’ve always enjoyed spending a few Thanksgiving moments watching the annual Macy’s Thanksiving Day Parade. From the giant character balloons to the elaborate floats, the event must be the most-watched parade in America. The final attraction is always the transition from one holiday to the next, when the Christmas season is ushered in by Santa Claus himself!

Use that magical moment as a launching point for reading Miracle on 34th Street. The book picks up where the parade leaves off, and it’s sure to get you and your kids into the Christmas spirit.

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