The Laughing Wolf

Some Thoughts On Christmas

As regular readers know, I was raised Christian and while I choose not to call myself that at this time, I do celebrate Christmas. Today’s food for thought has to do with one of the things I think is the most overlooked part of the holiday and season: Saying thank you to friends and family.

In some ways, Christmas marks the end of Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving, we give thanks for all we have. At Christmas, we thank those around us for simply being there. It is a time to acknowledge people, all the people around us, for simply being there and enriching our lives.

Let’s face it: most of the year, we are self-absorbed and headed out on our own and looking out for our own. Sure, there are times when we are not that way, but it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day things, politics, minutiae, and all the other things that can consume our lives. It is easy to loose sight of people as people, and to forget to thank them for being a part of our lives.

Christmas has always been the time to remember. It is the time that we seek to do some good deed for those less fortunate, for charity is enshrined in the Christian story of Christ’s birth. It is also the traditional time to go visit all the relatives that you don’t see all year, either because of distance or because it just plain is convenient to go see them. Maybe you don’t want to go see them, because they are old, sick, maybe the house has an odor, or some other cosmetic thing gets in the way.

It is also the time that we give some gift to show our appreciation of those in our lives. All too often, this becomes a chore because we make it a chore. Avoid that trap, and spread a bit of joy in the process. Instead of focusing so much on the gifts, and the cost of said gifts and all the politics that go into such, and give from the heart. For it is not the size or cost of the gift that counts, it is the thought behind it that counts.

Don’t limit yourself based on family politics or such, but let the only limit be your heart and reasonable ability. Instead of going for big and expensive, look to what will truly matter to the person getting the gift. Far more often than many think, it is a small thing that makes all the difference in a life. Take the time to study, to think, and then to act.

Don’t limit yourself on the number of gifts either. Small things matter, and remembering those who are nice to you during the year is rewarding on many levels. It can be something as simple as a homemade cookie, but it lets the person know that you do think of them, you do care, and you do appreciate them.

Don’t give gifts with the expectation of getting anything in return. That is not the point or purpose of the tradition or the season. If you are doing it for that reason, then you truly need to think.

Remember that this holiday celebrates others, not ourselves. It celebrates those who make a difference in our lives, and reminds us that all mankind can do so. Reach out to all those of good will, and share the spirit of the season with them. For it is people of good will who make the world a good place, and will make it a better place in the years ahead. Celebrate this, encourage this, and the true gift of the season will be upon us all.

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