Kirk Franklin began giving gifts himself when his children were growing up.
The Grammy-winning gospel singer, 54, told PEOPLE at Christmas in Little Big Town at the Opry event on Oct. 4 that he bought himself everything he gave his kids for Christmas when they were younger, including go-karts.
“That’s crazy, isn’t it? It’s crazy,” he said. “It’s like I bought them a go-kart, and I bought myself a go-kart.”
Growing up, Franklin spoke at length about not having the financial means to experience Christmas the same way others did, which made him appreciate the spiritual reasons for the holiday.
“For me, it was really all about relying on the spiritual ideals of the reason for the holidays,” he explained. “What’s the purpose of holidays [are] for.”
Kirk Franklin at the 2024 BET Awards.
Gilbert Flores/ Billboard via Getty
Back in 2023, Franklin opened up to PEOPLE about his difficult childhood, including the “work in progress” relationship he has with his long-lost father, whom he found at age 53.
“He is a beautiful soul. It’s just something you still have to get used to. And I may be on that path for the rest of my life,” he said. “And if that’s God’s plan for me to be on that journey, then as long as he’s with me on it, I’m fine.”
Franklin also told PEOPLE he used the opportunity to bond with his son Kerrion, with whom he had a strained relationship and a public feud in 2021.
“As for my son, I just keep praying that he fulfills all that God wants him to be and that he gets the healing and everything that he deserves,” he said. “I love him to death.”
As for his marriage to Tammy Franklin, Franklin said she is a “beautiful soul” and he is grateful for her and their children. The couple has been married since 1996.
“Tammy is an amazing, blessed woman, but she would have been an incredibly blessed woman if she hadn’t even found my kneeler,” he said. “I am blessed to have an amazing lady and an amazing wife.”
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Kirk Franklin.
Marcus Ingram/Getty
Franklin further said that there is pressure to have “perfect” relationships in order to be complete and that people feel pressured to meet relationship labels, as opposed to understanding their own worth.
“I also think it’s really sad how we idolize relationships to the point where people do these things [the] the sum total of their purpose for being,” he said. “And I think it’s an unfortunate journey because there’s so much beautiful essence in you even before you get there.”
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Source: HIS Education