The Greatest Gift

It’s the holiday season! Giving presents to celebrate the Yuletide is tradition. A true joy exists when giving to another without the concern of oneself. Watching the recipient open the gift that you’ve thoughtfully chosen is a joyous experience. Gift-giving is not only good for our inner self, but it’s good for the greater good too. 

Gift-giving is an expression of feelings that acknowledge the worth and appreciation of one another. The exchange celebrates the importance and specialness of the relationship between the parties. Relationships vary in terms of intimacy, but each touches us and contributes to our personal and sometimes professional growth in some way. This is why we choose to give presents to many during this time of year. If we are honest, we do love to receive a gift too. And, why wouldn’t we? It makes us feel recognized and loved. 

The gifts we receive and even those we give can fall short of expectation. This can be slightly uncomfortable and disappointing. Talk about a good deed gone bad. It’s happened to all of us. The truth is that we can’t let ourselves personalize this because it happens. However, the focus should not be on the negative, but on the positive in this instance as the intent initiated from a place of kindness. Try to remember this if it happens to you when as a giver or recipient. At the core of a perfectly wrapped present is a person; one with a good heart.

With all the craziness finding the best gift sometimes entails, it’s helpful to be kind to yourself too. It is easy to get overwhelmed with the suppositions intertwined with the holiday ritual, but take time to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas. Christmas is celebrated to reflect upon the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. He is truly the greatest gift and the reason of the season.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” -John 8:12 NIV

Wishing you a Merry Christmas filled with joy and good memories!