It is the most wonderful time of the year, again. Everywhere you look you see festive decorations and endless strings of lights. Christmas trees with ornaments strung on every branch are proudly displayed in homes, and inside these homes are eager children awaiting Christmas morning where they will be able to open the highly anticipated gifts waiting under the tree.
For as long as we can remember, we have thought of Christmas in the way that society has taught us to think about it. Santa Claus, presents, stockings, shopping and spending lots of money on presents. I have to admit, when I was younger I used to think about Christmas in this way.
I would start making my Christmas list in November, and it never even crossed my mind to buy gifts for other people. However, as I grew older, I realized that the way that I thought of Christmas wasn't the right way. Sure, Christmas is about getting festive and hanging lights and putting up a Christmas tree, but there is so much more than that.
As I grew up, I finally understood that it's not all about getting presents. I think it hit me one Christmas morning, when I had finished opening up all my gifts. There I was, sitting there with tons of torn wrapping paper around me, and I thought "Is that it?"
Of course I felt happy with what I had received, but I felt empty inside. I realized that no matter how many products and material gifts you get, what really makes you feel good inside is giving to other people and making them feel happy.
Ever since that realization, I have made a point to buy gifts for all the people in my life that I love and care about. It makes me feel so good to buy them gifts and see their face as they open them. Making other people happy gave me a feeling that couldn't even compare to the feeling I got opening my own presents.
Something else I have also come to love doing around the holidays is donating gifts to homeless shelters. Every year, I go to shelters and drop off gifts for children whose families cannot afford to give them anything for Christmas. Although I cannot personally see their reaction as they open their gifts, it makes me happy to know that I am giving them something special that they can open on Christmas day.
Aside from children that cannot afford to have a Christmas, I can't help but think about children all around the world that aren't fortunate enough to even be home for Christmas. Terminally ill cancer patients, for example, can't even leave the hospital for the holidays.
It is so important to be thankful for what we have, and Christmas is extra powerful in the sense that it really makes you realize that you can't take your life for granted.
To say that "giving is better than getting" is a cliche statement that I'm sure everyone has heard at one point or another. However, all I ask is that you try something a little different this Christmas. Something as simple as donating a gift to a homeless shelter, visiting a hospital, or just buying gifts for the people who truly matter to you in your life.
I promise you, it will make you not only appreciate Christmas even more, but also make you discover a sense of happiness within yourself that you may have never known was there.
