The Christmas season brings excitement! Holiday traditions include festive decorations, gifts, great food, time with family and friends, and exhausted shoppers. And let’s not forget the “dirty Santa” parties. Have you considered what gifts you will give this year? Here are three meaningful gifts you can give this December that could provide you with a lifetime of fond reflections. As a bonus, they do not require you to shop online or navigate crowded stores searching for special deals.
1. Love. Display love and gratitude to your spouse and children. Write them a note expressing your love and admiration and emphasize at least one thing you admire about them. Find ways to incorporate more smiles and joy in your home. Husbands, this would be a good time to scratch some items off your “honey do” list. And wives, surprise your husband with his favorite meal.
2. Kindness. Show that you care and help your spouse complete a chore or two. Express your appreciation for what they do for you and your family. Ensure your children know you care about them even when they have a rough day or a bad attitude. Your consistent love and encouragement can make a difference.
3. Yourself. Decide how you will be available to others. Be creative. Turn off the electronic devices and clear the dust from the board games and puzzles. Read a story and have the little ones act out the characters. Go for a walk or plan a camping trip. Teach your children how to do something new. Invite them to ride with you when you run an errand.
As you celebrate with family and friends, keep in mind those who are lonely or have recently experienced difficulties and extend assistance to them. God gave the greatest gift to the world, a baby “…born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). His entry did not consist of wearing a name-brand onesie or birth at the finest hospital. Jesus came humbly. Mary “…wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). Take a mental inventory of what you have, then freely give it to your family and others. Often the best gifts are enjoyable and leave treasured memories. Have fun as you wrap the gift of love, kindness, and yourself this December.
This article first appeared in Birmingham Christian Family Magazine.
