It’s the Christmas “season” and much time and attention is given to buying gifts. As we grow older we come to realize how true the words “it is better to give than to receive”. While there are those who never seem to grasp the idea of giving, there are others who embrace the notion at an early age. Have you ever seen the joy a child has when they give someone a gift they made? How precious is the gift from a child when they are not told to make a gift, but rather, on their own initiative create something for someone else … just because!
Buying gifts today is extremely different from when I grew up in the 60’s (that’s the 1960’s for the youngsters). As kids we would look through the Sears & Roebuck catalog, circling each toy we wanted. Our parents usually had to narrow down the selection for Santa, order the toy(s), and wait 4-6 weeks for delivery! Most toys can be purchased online today and many times, delivered tomorrow. Maybe that’s why I struggle finding the right gift for someone. It’s so easy for people to buy what they want, anytime they want, that most ‘needs’ have already been met.
A meaningful gift isn’t about how many dollars were spent, but more about the amount of thought that went into the choice. Donna really values time together with family. Our son-in-law realized this his first Christmas with our family. He bought Donna 4 tickets to a show at the Performing Arts Center. Enough tickets to bring other family members. It is truly special to get a gift from someone, no matter how big or small, when you know they actually took time and paid attention to the smallest of details of a conversation.
Sometimes the cost does matter because you know a sacrifice was made, like when a parent doesn’t get anything for themselves in order to give their children what they want or need. A high cost doesn’t necessarily mean high dollars. A child who empties his/her entire Piggy Bank account ( $23.88 ) on a gift for a sibling is more costly than someone spending $500 from their $10,000 bank account.
What makes a gift meaningful to me? It’s knowing that the gift-giver cares about me! Think about this for a moment.
The Father’s Gift to the World:
~ He cared
~ He listened
~ He sacrificed
~ He paid the ultimate price
~ He is still listening!