Like almost everyone in the world, Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. It is full of carols and cheer, stockings and stuffing and snowflakes, time spent with family and friends, and rings with an overall joyfulness throughout the whole season. Christmas is a time of both giving and getting, as it gives us ample opportunity to show our family and friends that we love them in a very tangible way. It is also a wonderful time to reflect the biggest gift given to us, Jesus Christ, the reason we celebrate Christmas at all.
One of my favorite parts of Christmas is getting to pick out the perfect present for my family and close friends. I spend week’s beforehand scouring stores and websites, searching for the exact right gift that says both “I love you” and “I am the best friend/daughter/granddaughter ever for knowing exactly what to get you and you’re going to love it.” However, as I was shopping around this year, I had a thought; What if this Christmas season, we gave more than gifts to each other? Or what if the gifts we gave each other looked a little different. What if instead of physical, tangible gifts, we gave each something a little more, something that can’t be returned if doesn’t fit right, or exchanged out for a different color. What if, instead of the usual parade of presents, we went a little bit more abstract with our gifts. Instead of electronics and clothes and shoes, what if we gave each other more time, more patience, more understanding. No these things can’t be wrapped up and placed under a tree, only to be torn open on Christmas day and forgotten a month later.
What if, instead, we gave each other the gift of more time spent together, if we took the busyness of our days and instead chose to slow down a bit, and really get to know the people we fill up our lives with? What if we were more understanding of each other, more patient? What if we committed to start loving each other, and loving each other well this Christmas season? What would that look like? How would that change the way we interact with people both those we hold close to us, and people we don’t know at all?
I’m not saying that this Christmas you need to return all the gifts you’ve bought, and refuse gifts given to you, but what if, alongside the physical things we give each other, we take some time to also give a part of ourselves. Something that can’t be returned or exchanged, bought in a store, or ordered online. Time spent with each other can never be taken back, but I think you’ll find you wont’ want to. I guarantee the time spent with someone who means so much to you, or having understanding and patience with those we come in contact with everyday, or simply going out in the world and loving each other, the giving of yourself will soon feel less like giving and more like getting. I promise that whatever you choose to give this Christmas season, you will gain back ten times over. This year, what if we gave more than just gifts, but instead gave our very selves to each other.
