Nothing is more wonderful than Christmas. It’s a time for sharing and giving. How much joy there is in giving gifts to those we love!
Like so many people, though, I’ll be cutting back the number and kind of gifts I’ll be giving this year. The economic realities of the day are setting in at our house.
Money is tight, and I find myself working twice as hard to earn half as much this year. I’m certainly not alone, but there is little comfort in knowing that so many Americans are struggling. Still, it’s Christmas, and my Christmas spirit will not be thwarted!
Every one of us is unique, and we each have the ability to give gifts that only we can give. Gifts that cost very little, often nothing but a bit of time. These are often the most welcomed and special gifts of all. So, let the giving begin!
A handwritten letter to someone you care for is a gift many people have quit giving. In these days of computers, email and cheap long distance rates the handwritten letter is a rarity. Unlike a telephone call, a letter can be held in the hand and read over and over again. It is a gift of yourself, your thoughts and memories. It is an human gift.
We each have talents, unique gifts from God with which we can, in turn, create gifts for those we love. Some of us can draw or paint, sew or make useful items, or have talents in the kitchen. Those with dietary restrictions are thrilled with new things to add to their menus. It is amazing what a little research and creativity can produce to touch hearts and brighten lives.
Those of us who are able bodied can wash and dry dishes, sweep a floor or wash clothes. Even people who are not disabled might enjoy having a friend gift them with some project around the house or help with some future computer software upgrade. The possibilities are endless.
One Christmas when my son was young and with little funds for purchasing gifts, he hit upon a wonderful gift idea. He carefully made Prentice and myself gift certificates. My certificates were good for such things as “Good for One Washing Of The Dishes,” “Good for One Cat Litter Box Cleaning,” and my favorite, “Good for One ‘You’re Right and I Won’t Argue.’” I wish I had saved the latter one until he was a teenager!
The certificates weren’t fancy or pretty (my son is not an artist), but they were appreciated more than any present he could have bought. All these years later, I still remember those gift certificates on notebook paper more fondly than any of the “store bought” gifts he has ever given me.
Older friends and family members may find it difficult to get out as frequently as they would like. Going to the pharmacy, grocery store or post office may not be easy for them. The gift of a book of stamps and a box of miscellaneous greeting cards is something they can use throughout the year. If you are artistic enough to make the cards yourself, so much the better.
The Christmas season should, for all of us, be a time of joy and peace. It is a time when we celebrate the extraordinary gift of love that God gave the world—the gift that only God could give, his Son.
We give gifts of love to one another as a way of honoring the gift God has given us. Our gifts tell those we love that we care for them and that they are important in our lives. No gift from the mall or online shop can compare with the gift of yourself, shared memories and your love.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres…”
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”—1 Corinthians 13
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You have no idea what sweet inspiration this is. Worries over making the holidays into something that just encourages anxiety is a regular visitor this time of year. It is tempting to say “Celebrate what?” Then I read this and remember what’s really important. Gracias.