Mums uplifting post reminds us all about the true meaning of Christmas

Mum-of-two Nikki Pennington from Kentucky started blogging as a way with coping with the death of her mother. 

Now in the run up to the festive season, she's taken to Facebook to remind us what Christmas is truly about. 

In the post, she talks about growing up in a poor single-parent household in Kentucky. Due to their financial circumstances, Christmas was not as lavish an affair as it is in other households, one year all her mother could afford was a "pair of really fancy socks from the goodwill." 

However, the lack of material presents only made Pennington appreciate the spirit of Christmas more: 

"My most valuable life lessons were learned the years I didn't get much for Christmas. My Mom and I would go do things for free for others instead. One year we went and painted the nails for a few ladies at a local nursing home that were alone on Christmas. One year we made homemade Christmas cards and handed them out to those in our apartment complex walking in snow knee deep."

"You see, even though we were poor and some years there were socks given to me for Christmas my Mom still showed me we were blessed. She taught me that the real gifts on Christmas aren't wrapped in pretty paper under the tree. Instead they are the gifts you already have and can give to others."

The best gifts, Pennington continues, are not always ones you can see:

"She showed me that memories on Christmas don't always have to look like everyone else's filled with pictures of opening presents. Sometimes they look like giving the gift of time, giving the gift of joy, kindness, compassion or a listening ear."

This is a lesson that Pennington is trying to pass on to her children: 

"Every year, I remind my guys of the time their Nana got their Mom a pair of used fancy socks from the goodwill. Every year, I remind my guys that it isn't about the gifts wrapped under the tree it's about the gifts God has already given you that we carry around with us every single day ready to be given to others.

Thank you Mom for teaching me how to care about what matters most."

In the crazy pre-holiday frenzy of presents, cooking and getting family together it can be easy to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Pennington's uplifting story can remind us all about the importance of giving.