A Gift Giving Reflection

So many people are looking for ways to cut back holiday gift giving this year. I hear it over and over again in all socio-economic circles. Recently, I found myself really pondering the question of "why" we ever got to the place that we lavish gifts on people during the holidays.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love giving gifts! I love shopping for them. I love thinking about the person who is going to receive each one. It's a very special time for me most of the time. Sometimes, though, I realize my gift giving is in danger of becoming more about me than about the recipient. It's a very fine line, in my opinion.

I confess, there are times when I want one year's gift to "outdo" the one from the previous year. I suspect that some of you out there in the blogosphere also suffer from this "one upmanship" condition occasionally as well. I suppose I could sit on some analyst's couch to figure out why that occasionally happens to me. But I also think I can sum it up in one word: SELF.

Another reason it's gotten out of hand is societal in nature. We are way over-dosed on bigger, better, faster, smarter, shinier, more bells and whistles from the media each year. I read somewhere that some civic group is trying to ban advertising from children's TV channels. I don't know if that would work. I mean, you'd have to ban some of the advertising on adult TV as well. We are constantly looking for the upgrade. In a whole other context this year, my DH and I talked about this briefly: "Not everything has to be an upgrade. We have to reach the place where we are satisfied with what we have." And when we realize that we don't NEED so much of what we have.

Just last night I saw a commercial for a luxury car. It started out with about 45 seconds of a "home video" from the 70's of a child getting his big wheel for Christmas. The entire time, I was thinking, "wow, are they bringing big wheel back?" Then the commercial jumps to modern day with the new Lexus out front for Christmas.

I know that no respectable adult is going to want a Big Wheel for Christmas. But I still wonder when did we lose the wonder of the simple things like the little boy with his Big Wheel?

Sunday I realized that not all of us have.

I was talking to our Pastor's son. He's 4 and a delightful bundle of energy! He was asking about the "angel tree" gifts that our church is giving for a needy family. I told him we were going to buy gifts for some boys and girls who don't have much. He said, "Well, all I know is that Christmas is coming and I'm going to get a present."

I asked the natural next question, "What would you like for Christmas this year?" His answer shocked me: "I just want an ORANGE YO-YO! I hope I get my ORANGE YO-YO!" He was SO excited about that simple little toy. I even pushed further and said, "Is that all you want?" With his sweet little grin he answered a confident, "Yes, that's all!"

And once again, I was reminded that we can learn so much from young children! For the most part, they get it. It's the outside influences that begin the change their wants into "needs"...for it is children who find joy in boxes and ribbons and not just the toy inside. They seize moments and make memories. And it's children who don't value the people in their lives by the gifts they give (or don't give). They live in the here and now.

Yep, I think THEY get it!