This Christmas, holiday sales are projected to top $465.6 billion. 

Given all of the financial tumult, political gridlock, and job uncertainty, it looks as though this year Americans are going to spend a lot of money giving gifts to each other. But perhaps like me you are looking for ways to make Christmas more meaningful for your family.

If you are, here are 5 ways to make Christmas more meaningful this year…

1. Make a “Thankful Tree”

Take brown construction paper and cut out a trunk and branches. Then cut out leaves that are big enough to write a short message on. Tape the tree trunk to your wall and each day, have the members of your family write what they are thankful for on a leaf, and tape it to the tree. By the time Christmas comes, you’ll have a full tree full of thankful thoughts from your loved ones.

2. Give Fewer Gifts with Greater Purpose.

Decide as a family what you want Christmas to represent, and then assign those labels to the gifts you give.

Some like the phrase, “Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.”

Of course you can get creative with your own list. By doing this, you are giving the gift a meaning and purpose that will be attached to it for as long as it is in your home.

3. Be a Modern Day Magi

The three gifts of the Magi identify Jesus as “King and God and sacrifice.”  You can be a Modern Day Magi by making three gifts of your own. Make each of these as sacrificial as possible…not out of your excess, but out of your sacrifice.

Money. Give away some of your money to your church, another family, a special charity, a friend who is adopting, or anyone else you feel needs a little extra this Christmas.

Time. More valuable than money, give the gift of time by volunteering in your community.

Stuff. Go through all of your stuff and donate something of value to local charities that help the poor. Many local organizations collect furniture, toys, bikes, cell phones, clothing, etc. that is given directly to people in need–not sold in a thrift store.

Make your three gifts, and then on Christmas Eve dinner, gather as a family and talk about your gifts, why you chose them, and why they were important to you.

4. Double the Impact

Decide together that you will only purchase gifts from companies that give back to communities or families trapped in extreme poverty.

For example, you could purchase handmade gifts from people trapped in extreme poverty…like  Timbali Crafts.

Using this guideline (or others you come up with), and you’ll be giving a gift that creates double benefit. And, by focusing your shopping efforts so narrowly, you’ll also learn much more  about how poverty impacts families around the world.

5. Change Their Story

Change Their Story is about sharing your Christmas with orphans who are trapped by extreme poverty and sex trafficking. Children’s HopeChest created Change Their Story as a way for youto ask friends and family to spend their money on helping orphans–rather than buying Christmas gifts.

When you join the Change Their Story team, you will receive a free fundraising Web site and the tools you’ll need to e-mail all of your contacts. From there, you’ll commit to a fundraising goal and then ask your friends and family to make financial contributions to benefit orphans this Christmas. We’ll even help you write the support letters.

This Christmas, instead of buying gifts, ask your friends to donate on your behalf and help orphans escape poverty and human trafficking.