Presents, and the meaning of Christmas.
Christmas. A religious celebration of the birth of Christ. Personally, the religious aspect isn’t a huge part of my Christmas, mostly down to my lack of/unsure level of religious beliefs. The rest of my family do celebrate Christmas in a hugely religious way (one of my brothers works as an organist in the parish church in the town, would be hard for him not to be religious around Christmas!). They go to church Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Not for me, and that is something they respect.
Christmas is, however, a real time for friends and family. Presents do play a huge part in Christmas. But for me, it isn’t the price or size of the presents, or even the fact that they exist. Each situation is different, of course.
I have bought a total of 7 presents (for 8 people). Mum & Dad, David (brother), Thomas (other brother), Chris, Meesh (99p challenge at work), Izzy (my friends Amy and Olly’s little girl) and Shell and Paul (Chris’s parents).
And nothing makes me happier than hearing that one of my presents has made someone happy. My present to Chris’s parents arrived yesterday, and I had a lovely message from them to say thank you. It was only a box of chocolates (posh ones, admittedly) it didn’t cost a huge amount, but it was enough to show that I was thinking of them.
It’s a time to remember, a time to be thankful. For me, it’s a time to make that extra bit of effort to see the people you care about. It’s the only time of year that my family get more than 5 minutes all in the same room. I hate to imagine how it would be if we had a bigger family! 5 people, and one day (maybe even 2 or 3 this year!) that we can get together. Imagine if there were more of us!
Christmas is what makes winter bearable. I hate winter, the cold, the wet, the dark. But Christmas makes me feel all warm and cosy inside.
Everyone from work gets together for the Christmas/Holiday do. Everyone from Kidderminster gets together for the Christmas Eve drinks. Family get together for the Christmas dinner. That is the best present for me. I’d rather see people, have a drink/coffee/cuppa/chat, than send a well-meaning, but warmth-less Christmas card.
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