Gift giving at Christmas - Part 1

Ok, in my last post I mentioned that I always get a little depressed around the Christmas season. I just read an article titled Stopping Shopping at Christmas and I think Patrick Moore kind of summed up how I feel at this very special time of the year - the celebration of the birth of our Savior.

Christmas is all about Christ and the celebration of his birth. Others have joined in on the celebration with new holidays, but the root of Christmas is Christ. And to think this all goes back to a baby born in a stable/cave some 2000 years ago. That baby, as predicted some 700 years earlier was born in Bethlehem. It was also predicted this child would grow and become the deliverer of Israel yet rejected by the same. He hung on a cross, not for his wrong-doings, but for ours. In essence, he was hung up for our hang ups.

So, why do I get so "blue" at this very special time of the year? I don't know, but I do have a couple ideas. The first thing is the expense of the gifts. I find myself buying gifts for people just because it is expected. The funny thing is we typically buy gifts just so the recipient will know that they are loved. Hmmm. Shouldn't they already know this by the way we live the other 364 days a year? Second, we buy things for people that they don't really need, or worse, can easily afford to buy if they wanted them. I have a drawer full of such "knick knacks" that are nice to have, but quite unnecessary. What I REALLY need is contentment with the things I already have. Third, when your budget is already tight (for us, strangling might be a better word), it doesn't feel right to be spending money on people just to say "I love you." What if we were to find some other ways to say I love you without 12% interest? hmmm

By now you're saying to yourself, "Man, what a Scrooge." Not really. I'm just trying to be realistic. I would love to purchase a gift for a needy family rather than receive another knife, flashlight, or tie - yikes, we don't do that any more! hmmm

I do look forward to celebrating Christmas by exchanging gifts with our immediate family, so please don't get me wrong. I will also be praying that God will help me during this time to be more thankful for what I do have and not want more. I'll be writing more about this so stay tuned. Tye out.

Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 5:20NCV

P.S. I would love to hear your comments on this post. Thanks!