I’m kind of a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas. I’m not a big fan of decorations or snow, and I despise Christmas music. Even worse than the freezing temperatures and tacky, overplayed tunes is the shopping.
I can barely bring myself to face the lines at Walmart to shop for groceries. You can only imagine the feeling I get when attempting to find some inane gift for a close friend or family member that is at once thoughtful, within my price range and not something they already have. It’s akin to holly, jolly Chinese water torture.
Last year, however, I found a solution to help beat the hyper-consumerist attitude that so often overcomes us during this time of year.
When asked by friends and family what I wanted for Christmas, I told them to look for someone in need, and then to help them. It changed my Christmas. Rather than getting a handful of unnecessary gifts, a friend bought gloves for a homeless man, and my brother arranged for us to deliver presents to a struggling family with two kids dressed as Santa and his elf.
Christmas doesn’t have to be full of commercialism. It can and should be full of opportunities for us to lift and love others. It is a great time to serve those in need, and give friendship and love to those who are lonely and suffering.
Maybe this year, the right gifts aren’t going to be a Wii or an iPhone. Maybe you can give the gift of helping someone else in the name of those you care about most.
