Gifts from the Heart

by Michele Boy | December 5, 2024

It’s December. My tree is up! The lights on the roof light up the night for me along with our outdoor decorations. 
 I am still struggling that it is December. While I have many presents already purchased, ornaments hung on the tree, I can’t quite get into Christmas movies, Christmas music, or the Christmas Spirit. 
  Everything has just happened so fast. There are eight days of school left till winter break. We are in the midst of basketball season, which I love. But time is moving so fast I can’t seem to catch my breath.
  As my husband climbed onto the roof to put up the outdoor lights, our daughter decided she wasn’t interested this year. 
  Last year dad was the coolest ever and now, friends have started to replace some of our limited time together. 
  It’s natural, it’s normal. But just a year ago, climbing the roof with dad was the best. 
     As we travel to watch her play basketball, she will ride the bus with her team. Again, these are all good and normal things but I miss the little one in the backseat who loved family time. 
 On Saturday she will attend her first snowball dance. It is a local tradition where the kids dress up in formal/semi formal wear and spend a couple hours at the school in a familiar place but somehow in a new environment.
  Sigh... another wonderful growth opportunity that makes me happy and sad. 
Moments like these remind me how precious time is. 
Over the weekend, I squandered some of that time and I got so mad. 
  If I only have a limited amount of time, doesn’t it all have to be perfect?
  No it doesn’t. In fact numerous things that have gone awry ended up being some of the best moments. 
  My daughter asked what I want for Christmas this year. I was stumped. Other than the honest yet cliche more time with you, I had nothing.   
  As I thought about it more, I realized some of my most favorite Christmas gifts were not gifts but moments.   
  Many years ago I had no money. When Christmas came around I couldn’t afford to get anyone a gift. 
 Instead, I thought about a moment I had shared with each one of them and wrote it down.
  I typed it on nicer paper, rolled it up, and put a ribbon on it. 
I can still remember their faces as some laughed, some cried, and others smiled. 
It was gifts from my heart that didn’t require more than a few dollars.
 I see people wondering how to stretch their dollar, or can’t find the right present for someone. 
   Sometimes our time and talents are worth far more. 
 One family I know always drops off homemade baked cookies with their Christmas card. My family looks forward to that every year. Maybe a present could be having a cup of coffee with someone. LOL It’s true. Coffee is always the answer. 
  Seriously though, going to visit someone, taking time to write them a note, making time in a crazy world where there doesn’t seem to be much time at all, that is the real gift. 
 No, I don’t think my teenager will go for the idea or understand it and that is okay. She is a teenager. 
  But maybe one day she will have the opportunity to see that truly being there with someone is pretty special.  
  I received a letter in the mail complimenting my column from last week. 
 It made me smile. 
When I offered to help someone search the newspaper archives, I found a few treasures to share myself. 
I took screenshots with my phone of fun, happy, moments and sent them on to many different people. 
  It took only about 20 minutes. But by the time I was done there had to be ten different opportunities to connect with others. 
 To me that is what this season is about - connection.
  I don’t feel “in the spirit” right now because I feel like I am closer to my checklist than I am to God.
  I think we all long for connection.
Maybe the gifts we give are more in line with  where our heart lies. 
  As you set about the next few weeks getting into the season, maybe stop and think about ways your gifts and talents could be shared. 
 Ask anyone who has lost a loved one or more, time is the most precious thing you can offer.As the Grinch says, “Maybe Christmas (he thought) doesn’t come from a store”