Kirk Franklin Bought Himself Every Gift He Gave His Kids When They Were Little — Including a Go-Kart (Exclusive)

The gospel singer opened up to PEOPLE about his family and their holiday traditions

Kirk Franklin got in on his own gift-giving when his kids were growing up.

The Grammy-winning gospel singer, 54, told PEOPLE at Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry event on Oct. 4 that he bought himself everything he got his kids for Christmas when they were younger, including a go-kart.

“That’s crazy, isn’t it? That’s crazy,” he said. “It’s like I bought them a go-kart, and I bought me a go-kart.”

Growing up, Franklin detailed that he didn’t have the financial resources to experience Christmas in the same way as others, which made him appreciate the spiritual reasons for the holidays.

“For me, it was really all about leaning into the spiritual ideals of the reason for the holidays,” he explained. “The purpose of what the holidays [are] for.”

Franklin previously opened up to PEOPLE in 2023 about his difficult childhood, including the “work in progress” relationship he has with his long-lost father, who he found at 53.

“He’s a beautiful soul. It’s just something that you’re still having to get used to. And I may be on that journey 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 on it with me, I’m good.”

Franklin also told PEOPLE about using the opportunity to connect with his son Kerrion, who he had a tense relationship and a public falling out in 2021.

“As far as my son, I just continue to pray that he will fulfill all that God has him to be and get the healing and all the things that he deserves,” he said. “I love him to death.”

In terms of his marriage to Tammy Franklin, Franklin said that she is “a beautiful soul” and he is grateful for her and their children. The pair have been married to since 1996.

“Tammy is an incredible, blessed woman, but she would’ve been an incredibly blessed woman if she didn’t even find my knucklehead,” he said. “I am blessed to have an incredible lady and incredible woman.”

Franklin further said there’s pressure to have “perfect” relationships in order to be complete and that people feel pressure to meet relationship markers, as opposed to understanding their own value.

“I also find it very sad how we idolize relationships to the point that people make those things [the] sum total of their goal of existence,” he said. “And I think that that is an unfortunate journey because there’s so much beautiful essence about you even before you get there.”