. christmas won't be christmas without any presents.
-jo march (louisa may alcott)
Jo's right, remember when she grumbled about not having any money for presents in little women? Christmas is about the gifts. always has been. but we feel uncomfortable with this emphasis on gimme, gimme, gimme. buy, buy, buy. charge, charge, charge. we admonish our children to remember the season, even though we have difficulty remembering it ourselves when we're caught up in the chaos and commotion of the holidays.
today let's ruminate on the Real role of gifts in the Christmas story. those gifts were wrapped in miracles, which is probably why we can't find them at malls or mail- order catalogs. the first gift was the Spirit: unconditional Love. the next gift came from a Jewish teenager named Miriam, who was known to her family and friends as Mary. her Christmas present was selflessness, the complete surrender of ego and will needed to bring Heaven down to earth. the gifts of her fiance, Joseph were trust and faith. he trusted that Mary wasn't pregnant with another man's child; he believed there really was a Divine Plan to get them through this mess. The Child brought forgiveness. Wholeness. Second chances. The angels' gifts were tidings of comfort, joy and peace, the reassurance that there was nothing to fear, so rejoice. The sheperd boy's gift was generosity: his favorite lamb for the baby's birthday present. The innkeeper's wife's gifts were compassion and charity: a warm, dry safe place for the homeless family to stay, her best coverlet to wrap the new mother and little one, a meal for Joseph, the donkey's fresh hay.
three kings from the east traveled many hot, dusty miles following a bright star in search of a royal birth. the sages' divination foretold the coming of the "kings of kings"; on their camels backs were treasures with which to honor his arrival. but when they arrived in Bethlehem, they found the newborn prince in a cow stall instead of a palace. the shocked wise men unwrapped gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but their Real gifts were wonder, acceptance and courage. they offered wonder by surrendering logic, reason, and common sense. accepting the impossible, they suspended skepticism long enough to double-cross the insane King Herod, frantically searching for a child who would change the world. with courage-at the risk of their own lives-the wise men helped the young family escape to a safe haven in Egypt.
oh yes, Christmas is all about the gifts. nothing but gifts. but such gifts! gifts tied with heartstrings. gifts that surprise and delight. gifts that transform the mundane into miraculous. gifts that nurture the souls of both the giver and the given. perfect gifts. authentic gifts. the gifts of Spirit, a frightened teenage girl, her bewildered sweetheart, the Child, the angels, the shepherd boy, the inn-keeper's wife. the gifts of the magi.
unconditional love. selflessness. trust. faith. forgiveness. wholeness. second chances. comfort. joy. peace. reassurance. rejoicing. generosity. compassion. charity. wonder. acceptance. courage.
to give such gifts. to truly open our hearts to receive such gifts gratefully. Christmas just won't be Christmas without any presents.
~sara ban breathnach
