It is almost here, the blessed day, the one we count down for. It's almost Christmas. I have spurts of Christmas spirit, mediated by glumness and worry. I keep telling myself that this Christmas will be different, it will be about giving for the sake of giving, not because I have to, but because I want to, but somehow it always ends up being giving because I have to.
There are people that I have bought gifts for that I do not like, I do not associate with, I do not want to use my hard earned money to purchase gifts for. There are people I want to buy for, but don't because the obligation of others has come first.
Can't one just give or not give and not be judged? We, my friends and I have a name drawing. It makes alot of sense. There are about 16 adults and 30 odd kids. Each family buys for one other couple and if they have two kids, they get two kids to buy for. Definitely simplifies things alot. So, that's the friends taken care of. Then there is our immediate family. That's easy. But then there are brothers and sisters on both sides of the family, some recipocate and some don't, but you can't leave anyone out, even if they have never sent anything for you or your kids. Those are the obligatory gifts. The ones I get the most annoyed by. Then there are parents on either side, that is also fairly easy and genuine.
But what I really want to do is sponsor a child or two or three, rather than purchase all those useless gifts. I would rather send a box of clothes to someone in need. I would rather teach my children to give, instead of get. And Christmas here is all about getting. What are you getting, what's Santa bringing you, what do you want to get? No one asks what are you giving?
Maybe we should start. Can you imagine if children were taught to give, with no strings attached, not to get something in return, but just to give. Now that would be a life changing Christmas.
My children are still young. I have time to teach them more before the standard selfishness that governs our country kicks in.
I do believe I have just made a New Years Resolution, that if contientiously applied throughout the year will dramatically change how next Christmas is perceived.
After all, Christmas is about giving, God's gift to us, with only one string, that we believe.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I totally understand. We seriously give nothing - well, I try to get something small for the kids and for my sister and parents, but that's it. My parents and kids, however, more than make it up to my kids. They spoil them rotten. Like you, however, I'd really like to change my kids perception so that it is about what they give, not what they get. I really think we, as in the world in general, have this whole Christmas thing totally out of whack. It does seem, however, that I am discovering more and more people that want a change.
ReplyDelete