Only a few days to get those last minutes gifts for family and friends. Amazon may be your best bet, since so many things are in metal boxes off the LA docks on ships. But, you will manage. I buy my limited amount of gifts as soon as I hear Nancy say, "Oh, I like that." Nancy does the rest of the shopping for Christmas because everyone (mainly the grandkids) tell her what they want. And that always caused me to wonder. If Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, then why do we get gifts for each other? Shouldn't we be get gifts for Jesus? After all, it is his birthday. But the greatest gift you could give Jesus is love and praise for him.
Our Christmas, as we know it today started with the three wise men who traveled to see baby Jesus. They bought gifts for the New King of Jews and of the World. Over the milleniums, that story has being translated, twisted and retold in many, many languages. To Christians, most of us believe the story from the Bible.
A few years ago when Nancy and I were in some of the old 'Iron Curtain' countries, we were taken to ,supposedly, where Saint Nicholas was buried. I thought, we had been to another country and they said he was buried there too. But it doesn't really matter.
Nicholas was a real man who lived in Eastern Europe and felt he could bring joy to kids with small gifts during the coldest and darkest months of the year. The idea grew and spread around the world. Later, Nicholas was canonized as a saint by the Catholic church and eventually merged into the celebration with Christmas, due to those three Wise Men bringing gifts.
To me, Christmas is a time of celebrating the born of Jesus and my commitment to him. So my gifts, not only to Nancy, but the those who can not buy gifts for their kids or other loved ones, but to give to those less fortunate than us. It feel SO much better than getting socks or a tie (which I never wear anyway, and sometimes socks).
These Covid times are hard on everyone. To see someone down on their luck, faces lighting-up, smiling and thanking you for your kind effort, makes my heart soar. I ask my family to not buy me gifts, but rather to donate that money to a truly worthy charity instead.
Christmas should be a time of joy, celebration and praise. Gifts are just a fringe benefit of the season.
Nancy and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you ALL a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a healthy and prosperous New Year from Nancy and I. May Jesus be with you and yours, and in your hearts. Now, spread that joy to others.Take care and stay safe. See the next edition after year's end.
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