When is it the right time to exchange gifts at Christmas?
The answer to that Yuletide conundrum might be influenced by where you are at this time of year.
For example, in the Netherlands our Dutch friends will already have unwrapped a present or two on St Nicolas’ Day Eve, 5th December, when Sinterklaas brings gifts for children.
However, travel up to Scandinavia and we might find the exchange of presents in Estonia, Finland and Denmark all taking place on Christmas Eve rather than our norm of Christmas Day.
The answer to that Yuletide conundrum might be influenced by where you are at this time of year.
For example, in the Netherlands our Dutch friends will already have unwrapped a present or two on St Nicolas’ Day Eve, 5th December, when Sinterklaas brings gifts for children.
However, travel up to Scandinavia and we might find the exchange of presents in Estonia, Finland and Denmark all taking place on Christmas Eve rather than our norm of Christmas Day.
Further south, in Spain, where my brother lives up in the Andalusian
mountains, and he tells me that in his village it’s January 6th when
people get their presents, Epiphany Day, remembering the gifts of gold,
frankincense and myhhr offered by the wise men.
In Louisa Alcott’s classic: Little Women, the book starts off like this: Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents. Well, of course, you could have Christmas without them, and perhaps many do, but the book has a point in that the very essence of this Christian festival recalls at its centre the gift of God to the world of Jesus.
The bible describes God in terms of generosity. His present to us at Christmas is the presence of Jesus – whose birth, life and death shows us what God’s love looks like in a human life.
The gift of God’s presence with us is something to celebrate not just on December 5th, 24th, 25th or January 6th, but every day.
The gift of God’s presence with us brings love and light into our lives.
We recently received a family wedding invitation, on it my niece made it clear that what she’d value on the day is our presence rather than a present. Of course, she and her husband to be will willingly be offered both, but it’s a lovely thought – the best present is often our presence.
Just as God shares his love with us in the presence of Jesus – so we are then called to share love, kindness and generosity of spirit with each other in our presence to and with them.
So, this Christmas let’s give thanks for the presence of love and light in our world – found in God, made real in Jesus and encountered too in the companionship of those around us.
Whenever you open your presents this year, may the presence of love be for you the best gift you both give and receive.
Blog holiday now for a couple of weeks!
In Louisa Alcott’s classic: Little Women, the book starts off like this: Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents. Well, of course, you could have Christmas without them, and perhaps many do, but the book has a point in that the very essence of this Christian festival recalls at its centre the gift of God to the world of Jesus.
The bible describes God in terms of generosity. His present to us at Christmas is the presence of Jesus – whose birth, life and death shows us what God’s love looks like in a human life.
The gift of God’s presence with us is something to celebrate not just on December 5th, 24th, 25th or January 6th, but every day.
The gift of God’s presence with us brings love and light into our lives.
We recently received a family wedding invitation, on it my niece made it clear that what she’d value on the day is our presence rather than a present. Of course, she and her husband to be will willingly be offered both, but it’s a lovely thought – the best present is often our presence.
Just as God shares his love with us in the presence of Jesus – so we are then called to share love, kindness and generosity of spirit with each other in our presence to and with them.
So, this Christmas let’s give thanks for the presence of love and light in our world – found in God, made real in Jesus and encountered too in the companionship of those around us.
Whenever you open your presents this year, may the presence of love be for you the best gift you both give and receive.
Blog holiday now for a couple of weeks!
No comments:
Post a Comment