Extra Virgin PLR

The Christmas Spirit

Sometimes, in the middle of the shopping frenzy between October and January, people tend to forget the real meaning of Christmas. Particularly during the hard times the world is enduring at present, we would do well to go back to basics and ask ourselves

‘Why do we celebrate Christmas?’

The festivals of all the world’s great religions have a common theme. They are a time to reflect, to be grateful for what you have and to share time with your family and friends in communal worship. And they are a time to give.

Because of this, we often feel obliged to spend a lot of money on presents yet don’t think deeply enough about the significance of those gifts.

We give a present to people because they are special to us. And if they are very special we usually spend more money to symbolize that importance.

But does that extra money really say what we think it does? Does a $400 cell phone mean I love you more than last year when I only gave you a $100 watch?

The value of a gift lies in the spirit in which it is given and how personal it is.

Why do parents’ most treasured possessions include the first handmade Christmas card from their child? Because that card is created from, and given in, love. The child has channeled all their affection into making something personal and special.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you should stop shopping and churn out dozens of handmade Christmas cards. What I am suggesting is that you reflect on what you give at Christmas. And not just at Christmas, at any time when you want to show somebody the affection you hold for them.

Picture the receiver of your gift and ask yourself “What can I give them that will touch their soul? That will bring the kind of smile a mother gives her young son when he gives her a handful of crushed and sweaty buttercups?”

It doesn’t have to be the gift itself that has such an effect. The message you put on the label could have a bigger impact than the present itself. Just telling somebody how much they mean to you is a gift we share all too rarely. If you think about it, the ‘why’ is more important than the ‘what’.

Don’t just put ‘To Mum from John’. Write a story about why you chose that particular present. Share the feeling that made you want to buy it. Say what you appreciate about that person and why they enhance your life.

And then you will be spreading the spirit of Christmas all through your family and your community.

(450 words)