December is here again, Gift Giving Month

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Gift Giving Month

December is here and the Christmas season is without doubt underway. This season could be both very exciting and very stressful. I really like the notion of purchasing a loved one something special and then wrapping it up and giving it in their mind on the greatest day of the year. It's fun and very rewarding to create that joy to them. But I'm needs to wonder, have we taken it too far?

"I would buy so and so a gift because there's a chance they could buy me something."

How often have you had that thought in your face? Perhaps you have followed that thought up with a sigh, whenever you realize that now this new gift is going to cause one to go outside your financial allowance? Or have in addition, you had the idea that since you're getting this new person a gift you'll also have to buy a gift for a close friend, relative or child of this individual?

For me personally, this has long been the part when the gift giving starts to become more like an obligation and less about me wanting to bless a few close people in my life.  How can God feel about just how we currently celebrate the birth of his son?  A year ago I believed I would get sick when I saw on the headlines a 24 year-old retail employee was trampled to death by the Black Friday crowd as he opened the doors for business. All for what?

Will there be really something or gift at the local shopping mall that is worth someone's life?

I wonder how that young man's family now views the holidays. Are they thinking about the birth of Christ? Are they considering an occasion of giving and serving each other? Or are considering their lost loved one getting trampled by the ugly greed of our culture.
Going back couple of years, I have only purchases a hand high in gifts. Most of which are for my son Landon. And maybe a couple more for individuals who are the closest to me. I don't do this because I'm being a scrooge or because I'm selfish or cheap. I do this because I would like my giving to be always a blessing on those I'm giving to.

I don't want my giving to cause me financial stress or debt. I don't want it to cause some innocent retail employee their life for sure. And I don't want it cause me to forget the reason why we even celebrate this holiday. I don't want the stress of trying to buy an attractive gift for every single single person I know. Because that won't bring me joy, that will bring me stress and steal my joy. And we are called to be joyful givers. In the event that you can't give with joy then you definitely shouldn't give it all.

So this season as you're making your gift giving decisions, may you give for the proper reasons. May you remain within your financial means. And may you remember the real meaning of Christmas.