I believe giving of yourself and time is what the heart of the holiday is about. Helping those in need, being with those who have nobody, teaching others through love, and rejoicing in the holy spirit are great ways to celebrate.
My extended family doesn't see it this way. I get grief for not going out of my way to hunt them down so they can throw gifts at us and shove us out the door and consider themselves done with Christmas. I would rather forgo the gifts in exchange for them to spend time with my kids, their grandkids. They do not see my kids except for holidays and birthdays despite the fact that they live within easy driving distance. They decline attending school events, dinner engagements, and weekend visits because they do not wish to spend their time with family. They consider the gifts as a payment to opt out of such events.
My children do understand the meaning of Christmas and have started looking down on other family members. My kids are tired of watching people choose things over time with them. They have developed many coping mechanisms to deal with this rejection and it is very sad to see it has come to this over the years. The heart of a child is pure and they see people clearly for who they are. I am proud of my children for standing tall and sticking with the principles they believe in.
Gifts of love are the true meaning of Christmas, not gifts from a store. If Santa doesn't come, Christmas still does. Being with those you love in comfort and a stress free environment is the true pleasure of Christmas.
He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment