Several years ago, at the beginning of the month of December my parents brought a basket like the one above and placed it under the tree. We were young (between 9 and 11) and looked forward to the Christmas season with much anticipation (the presents, festivities, family dinners, etc.). We had a short lesson on the Nativity story. I don' remember much about the specifics of the lesson, but I do remember that my dad, who was leading the lesson, said that we were going to do something different that Christmas. He then pulled out a big bag of hay and placed it near the Christmas tree. He talked about offering a present to Christ, and also that when we serve others we are serving Him as well. "We are going to make a manger for Him", my dad said, "with our good deeds." So, we were to secretly do something good for someone and each time we did, we could take a small portion of hay and place it in the basket. The activity went from the beginning of December until the 24th. Of course we wanted Christ to have a nice, comfy manger, so especially as we got closer to Christmas, we were all trying our best to place lots of hay in the woven manger. It was a lot of fun--everyone doing secretly good things for each other and giggling when people discovered what you've done ("Oh, it looks like a little elf visited our kitchen and did the dishes", my mom would say). It was fun. Certainly, we should lay up the treasures of heaven where moth and rust doth not corrupt, neither do thieves break in and steal.
"Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price." (2 Nephi 9:50)
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