Christmas Spirit

I love Christmas even though it gets more commercial every year. It's a shame that all the required gift giving and shopping has turned it into a stressful season for so many people because it is supposed to be about spirituality. Whether or not you are religious it is a time to be heart centered. Love, kindness, caring, giving, and sharing are what the Christmas spirit is meant to be.

Giving is a wonderful thing; I enjoy it, and I hope all those harried shoppers do too. It is sad, though, to think of so many people spending money they don't have, getting into debt for gifts that will be forgotten before they are paid for.

Christmas should come from the heart, not the wallet. It should also be fun, not exhausting and stressful. How can we give without draining our spirit and our credit cards? I think by changing our attitudes. We don't have to give to impress. We don't have to give and do more than we can comfortably manage. The Christmas machine is out of control and only we can fix it, one person at a time, each in our own way.

Some of the ways I have tamed the commercial aspects of Christmas giving:

I realized that giving a fancy gift that was basically useless was downright crazy. I now take the time to find out what people really need or enjoy. Much better to give a gift that will be used even if it seems somewhat dull. If we don't know people well enough to know what they like and need maybe we shouldn't be exchanging gifts with them. A gift certificate to their favorite restaurant might be unimaginative, not visually as exciting as a big, colorfully wrapped present but it won't clutter their home or go unused. It is also easier to give and no wrapping time involved.

If I notice a family member hasn't replaced their ragged, falling apart wallet that's one gift I will be giving to them. Not an unusual gift but they will appreciate it.

We make a habit of giving a donation to the Humane Society every Christmas, a $50 donation entitles us to the Family Plan and we receive a newsletter that keeps us up to date on what's going on.

That is one of our yearly gifts and we enjoy it all year round.

I save change all year and then empty the whole thing into a Salvation Army kettle. This will help someone that really needs it rather than spending it on a frivoulous, expensive gift that someone probably doesn't even want.

Putting the emphasis on giving is wonderful but it doesn't have to be something we buy. Making sure that people you care about are not alone during the holiday is a nice family tradition. One I always keep.

Giving your talent and caring won't cost much. Giving a Reiki treatment to someone who is going through a bad time is a lovely present . Doing a bit of research on your computer for someone who hasn't the time will be appreciated. Visiting a shut in with a gift of a book, or some little fun holiday decoration that you can make together will have more value than an expensive doo dad.

Gifting from the heart is what Christmas should be, and it just takes a bit of thinking. I hope I have inspired you to add more enjoyment and ease to your holidays and those of all your loved ones.
Blessings, Gilly