Its Christmas time again!
One Christmas some time ago, I was in (again) a mad rush to find Christmas presents for family and friends. Being a student then and working during the December holidays meant that firstly, I was broke and secondly my pay would only come in a few days before Christmas or after.
Happened so that my pay would only come after Christmas, and I’d have to gather whatever money I had left from my November pay to use for Christmas presents. Thank God, that my friend Gabriel was equally broke and we decided to share Christmas presents for our friends.
We bolted down to Ikea 2 days before Christmas Eve and bought whatever we could find. We picked out lemon squeezers for $2, cutlery, bars of soap, towels, cheap vases and we even bought a potty for our friend. (Our rational was that he was always so full of shit). Some post-Christmas thoughts made me realize that none of these gifts actually came from our hearts, but because we needed something to give for the sake of giving. Needless to say, some people were pretty pissed with those gifts. We thought it was fun, and henceworth we named Christmas, "Dissmass". But Gabriel and I, being thick-skinned people continued this practice for Christmas for a few years (and some people modeled after us).
It took me awhile to realize something in relating to my Christmas presents. God gave his ultimate gift to us by sending Christ down to earth, packaged with love, grace, sacrifice, humility etc. And to me, there was such significance in the 3 wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. It shows the way in which we should live our lives today - the fact that God gave his son to die for us that we in turn should be an offering of worship unto our King. God exemplifies this so that in turn we would do the same among our fellow men.
How could I give a gift to someone I loved that meant nothing? When the gift that God gave us, meant everything? Since that realization, there have been no more lemon squeezers and potties for my friends. Sometimes an honest card or a big hug would mean more than all those gifts.
Don't expect something big from us this year, but expect something worth it!
Happened so that my pay would only come after Christmas, and I’d have to gather whatever money I had left from my November pay to use for Christmas presents. Thank God, that my friend Gabriel was equally broke and we decided to share Christmas presents for our friends.
We bolted down to Ikea 2 days before Christmas Eve and bought whatever we could find. We picked out lemon squeezers for $2, cutlery, bars of soap, towels, cheap vases and we even bought a potty for our friend. (Our rational was that he was always so full of shit). Some post-Christmas thoughts made me realize that none of these gifts actually came from our hearts, but because we needed something to give for the sake of giving. Needless to say, some people were pretty pissed with those gifts. We thought it was fun, and henceworth we named Christmas, "Dissmass". But Gabriel and I, being thick-skinned people continued this practice for Christmas for a few years (and some people modeled after us).
It took me awhile to realize something in relating to my Christmas presents. God gave his ultimate gift to us by sending Christ down to earth, packaged with love, grace, sacrifice, humility etc. And to me, there was such significance in the 3 wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. It shows the way in which we should live our lives today - the fact that God gave his son to die for us that we in turn should be an offering of worship unto our King. God exemplifies this so that in turn we would do the same among our fellow men.
How could I give a gift to someone I loved that meant nothing? When the gift that God gave us, meant everything? Since that realization, there have been no more lemon squeezers and potties for my friends. Sometimes an honest card or a big hug would mean more than all those gifts.
Don't expect something big from us this year, but expect something worth it!
posted by esmond at 2:45 PM
5 Comments:
ha ha, yessssss - i think i recall receiving some wooden spoon & gaudy looking tea towel - sigh...
haahaa! its true! i guess nothing beats just a special card! =]
luckily for me, no wooden spoon & gaudy looking tea towel yet. hahaha-andrea
yeah, lucky andrea! I remember a disgusting looking checkered hankie!
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