Dad's Wool Socks

I just went through a culture shock of sorts. The movie, Home Alone, was on YTV the other night and I had opportunity to see (for the first time in a while) the Christmas toy ads on television. WHAT! Didn’t know half of them or maybe more! Mind you I did recognize some that I knew about twenty years ago including a new model of Barbie?

This got me to thinking about what gift would you give a child this year. My memory is pretty good and I remember one year where we received a couple of gifts and an orange and some rock candy in our stocking. This, so you know, was one of dad’s woolen work socks that got stuck to the candy. Back then we made our own games and had great imaginations. It was the most wonderful time back then when we took a piece of cardboard and went tobogganing. But what gift would work this year?

I have heard from a number of kids that they want it all and I guess we did the same back when we watched “Santa’s Workshop” on tv right after getting home from school each December afternoon. Our eyes lit up at the thought of having un-numbered presents in the morning. And with most of us, we were never disappointed with what we received.  But what gift would work in 2015?

Christmas Eve at church was an amazing gift we now only recognize after all these years. The tree, the full church, the lights, the glorious singing, the choir, the message and the candles we held as we sang, Silent Night. Oh, what a precious gift of just being there.

In our family, I remember the amazing journey each Christmas of going from house to house all day. We visited Grandma and our aunts and uncles. We played with and enjoyed the toys of our many, many, cousins. It was an amazing day. A long day and sleep always came quickly when we arrived home. Which made me realize another gift was to have people around us on Christmas. Yes, the tree is beautiful, the gifts are just what we want, and dinner was the best yet. But the family, loved ones there to celebrate Christ’s birth is even more spectacular.

There is one more gift that outshines them all, is to have Him, the baby Jesus, Christmas wrapped in swaddling clothes, home for Christmas. Home in our hearts and in our lives. He is the best gift, God’s gift to you and me this Christmas.

Something to think about.