Pondering Pundit

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The gift of giving during COVID

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  • Pondering Pundit
    Pondering Pundit
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Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. For many it’s when all the family comes together to share in food, laughs, gifts and to focus on the holy time centered around Jesus Christ and his birth. Christmas this year will be quite different for everyone as COVID-19 is still raging through our communities. It will be hard to gather families together like we have in the past, but that does not mean we can’t still be together. We could do a virtual Christmas by using live video feeds to share our experiences of the food, family and presents, while keeping all our loved ones safe this season.

The gift of giving presents, for me, is more about giving that unexpected gift to someone, and that gift does not have to come from the store. A kind word or action goes a lot farther than a trinket. Granted, we live in a world now where buying gifts, wrapping them and placing them under the tree is the norm, but maybe it’s time we start thinking outside the (gift) box and do something different.

We have all heard of the Secret Santa gift giving, where folks draw a name from a hat and go out and buy that person a gift. It’s fun and exciting to do this, but can also be a bit challenging, especially if you really don’t know that person’s likes and dislikes. However, here are some ideas for the ultimate Secret Santa gift giving, an idea that could change a family’s fortunes for the holiday season.

How about going to the electric company and paying a bill for someone that is about to lose their power, or the gas company, or water department? Ask around at the local churches if there is a family in need of food for the holidays, or a family that can’t afford to buy their children presents.

All these things can be done under the cloak of the Secret Santa idea and the blessings for these families would be most joyous for both the giver and recipient.

Another thought is to consider making that holiday gift with your own hands - putting your time and energy into a project. These types of gifts really exemplify the idea of gift giving. I have done such things in the past with family members. When they open this gift and they see the thought, love and time spent on the gift, it usually brings a tear to their eye. Now that to me is the way gift giving should be.

With this pandemic we are living in, maybe we all can play a little Santa Claus this year. On Christmas Eve deliver your gifts to the loved ones who are not living with you by placing them in a box at their front door and ringing the bell. Stand back and when they open the door you could greet them by singing carols - just remember to keep your distance.

We all can enjoy or Christmas season, it will just take some planning and thinking outside the box.

The gift of giving is a wonderful thing to experience, share it with all around you. This holiday season let us all take that extra step towards expressing the ultimate gift, the gift God gave to us all, that is the gift of love. Share your love with everyone you meet, and I bet you will have a Christmas to remember.

Happy reading Cibola