Christmas has always been my favorite holiday (28 more days but who’s counting?). Growing up, I vividly remember waking up on Christmas morning and having the biggest smile on my face. My parents truly outdid themselves every year. Even to this day I feel like I am the little girl I was all those years ago waking up and being super excited to see what “Santa” brought.
As I got older though, my Christmas list got shorter and shorter. No longer was I the girl that wanted clothes, socks, movies, etc. I was the girl that wanted happiness, love, kindness, and gratefulness. The materialistic things slowly turned into things that you could never wrap in a gift. I simply wanted to give more. Whenever you hear “it’s not about receiving, it’s about giving”, you immediately think you should go out and buy all the gifts you can for your friends and family.
However, giving could be as simple as paying for the person behind you in the Starbucks line.
It could be giving someone an extra-long hug.
It could be giving your dog an extra walk or snuggle during the week.
Or it could be telling your friends/family how much they mean to you.
I could go on and on, but giving doesn’t have to be about buying gifts. Let it be about the little things in life that are priceless.
Each year, Christmas is different. You get older, you receive different gifts, you eat different food, etc. However, one thing that is always constant is the love and happiness shared between family and friends. That is something that will never go away in my household. Between the smiles, laughter, champagne, and constant gratitude, I am thankful to be able to spend Christmas with such a loving family.
As Christmas is coming up, keep in mind that it’s not about all the gifts you receive. I challenge you to try and be more giving this year. Give a stranger a compliment, volunteer at a charity, pay it forward, or wish someone well. I promise you, giving is the best gift you can ever give yourself. As Francis of Assisi puts it, “For it is in giving that we receive.”