The Christmas Gift

Posted on November 27 2007

A few years ago my son participated in a school project of writing to someone in a nursing home. The recipient of his letter was 100 years old. Bertha had her daughter help write back a very interesting letter. One of the questions he had asked was “what was your most favorite Christmas gift?” Bertha’s answer was “her aunt gave her a new hair ribbon”. When I read this I thought of how times have changed. Today we are so much in the Christmas rush to do it all and especially to make sure we have bought the best gift(s) – note the plural. A simple hair ribbon would no longer suffice. Every year we have the opportunity to look at everything we do in this season and downsize.

The push for Christmas has already started. Stores are already posting big sales to draw us in and buy, buy, buy. The challenge: try to avoid the commercializing. First, before shopping, make a list and stick to it. This helps prevent overbuying. Second, have you considered homemade gifts? A few years back one of our clients was very excited as she was making all of her Christmas gifts and her daughter-in law was going to do the same since they were both experiencing the money crunch. Are there gifts you can make? Maybe a plate of home baked cookies or small loaves of poppy seed/banana or pumpkin bread? How about time you can promise – maybe to be a babysitter for a specified number of hours/summer lawn care/window washing? A gift to a charity can be given in someone’s name. Consider a family gift instead of several individual gifts like a game or a DVD family movie accompanied with some popcorn. Keep in mind the celebration of Christ’s birth should be the main focus of the season.

It’s a great year to take a deep breath, downsize, enjoy the season and put Christ back into Christmas.

Sandi FLCS Staff