Christmas is awesome! I am sure most will agree, except for those of you celebrating other holidays. But even if you don't appreciate Christmas you can't help but appreciate some of the results. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a gift or two? And the holiday season can really bring out the best in some people. So even if you don't celebrate it, you can at least respect that it is a holiday dedicated to giving, despite the fact that it has turned into a retail nightmare.
I am spending Christmas with my older sister, her little family, and my mother. It has been pretty rewarding so far. I spent my morning watching two adorable children open gifts and get enthused about Santa Claus. Victory.
Santa Claus is a brilliant ploy. I mean really, what better way to get your children to stop being bad and to stop crying? "Sally, if you're not nice to your little brother then Santa won't give you any presents, and, Tommy, you know that Santa doesn't like pouty faces. Will he have to leave you a lump of coal this year?" Our ancestors knew what they were doing when they came up with that one.
As to giving, I'm not really sure I'm that great at it yet. I mean, I enjoy giving, but I'm not sure if the people receiving are really enjoying what I give. This, I suppose, could be a great New Year's Resolution.... I must think more on that one. The good news is that this year, at least, I just had my sister, her husband, and her kids, none of which are hard to please. A board game, a truck, a Strawberry Shortcake doll, and one free babysitting coupon later and I was set. But even with all of those gifts I ended up having to ask what I should get and where I should go to find it. A true gift giver knows what the person wants already, and wouldn't give the surprise away by asking about it. And the best gifts really do come from the heart. Giving someone what they want from a retail store isn't the same as giving them what they need from your own two hands.
To improve our giving I suggest looking to the ultimate giving example. Our Saviour, Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season after all. His sacrifice for us, given out of pure love, is what leads us to the greatest gift of all: Eternal Life. And pure love, charity, is why we give in the first place. Gifts should be a symbol of the love we feel that we can't express in any other way. Sometimes words are not enough.
So, although it is a bit late to do anything about this year's Christmas, it might be a good idea to consider these things for next year. Not to say that I've got this whole thing completely figured out yet myself, but I think as a society in general we could improve on our giving skills, because giving is a skill. I only know a few people who were just born with the talent.
To finish off, I would just like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, etc. and a Happy New Year (unless of course you're Chinese, because you don't celebrate it at the same time).
P.S. Do you love how my entire post was about Jesus Christ, and then at the end I tried to be politically correct? Wow, I did a good job on that one.
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