For it is in giving that we receive.
St. Francis of Assisi
c. 1181 – 1226
This week, the Christian world celebrates Christmas, the day set aside to mark the birth of Jesus. It seems to me that there’s been a steady shift in focus from the spiritual meaning of the holiday to the commercial obligations and benefits.
I have fond memories of Christmases in years past when the emphasis was on the spirit of giving. Christmas was a time for giving from the heart and sharing with family and friends. Now it seems that Christmas is all about shopping, finding bargains, rushing and hurrying. The real spirit of Christmas is lost — or at best, an afterthought.
I know so many people who don’t look forward to the experience of Christmas, but rather to Christmas being over and done. I believe we’ve let the true spirit of Christmas be crowded out because we’ve focused our attention on the wrong things.
A few days ago, I heard about a couple who wanted to recapture the feelings of joy they used to experience at Christmas. They made a decision not to participate in the commercialization of the holiday; they consciously chose not to get caught up giving gifts that fulfilled an obligation but didn’t bring joy to the giver or the receiver.
Instead, they decided to contribute a fixed amount of money to a worthwhile charity on each of the 14 days leading up to Christmas. And not only did they donate money, they solicited others to do the same thing. They asked that everyone give $1 to each charity; they knew no one would miss those dollars, but together, their donations would make a profound difference in the lives of others. It’s amazing how much money can be raised by such a simple challenge. And those benefits will last long after the Christmas season is over and forgotten.
They set up their charity challenge pages on the online site www.firstgiving.com so that people could easily and safely make donations and could see the total amount raised for each organization. Among the charities they selected were Heifer International (which gives livestock and training to third world families), Doctors without Borders (which brings volunteer doctors to poverty-stricken and war-torn countries to administer medical care) and Share our Strength (which works to eliminate childhood hunger in America).
If you would truly like to recapture the joy of Christmas you used to know, consider making a small donation to one or more charities that are meaningful to you. And instead of giving gifts that people don’t need and may not use, ask them what causes are important to them and make a donation in their name.
Why not start putting a little more Christmas spirit in your Christmas? The benefits can last throughout the year, and you can make a bigger impact than you could ever imagine.
I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year.
Charles Dickens
1812 – 1870
Copyright © 2009 John Chancellor