SANTA'S BAG OF RICE

Along with Easter, Christmas time is one of the most important periods on the Christian calendar, and of course one of the best opportunities we have to express the love of God to the dying world.

Christmas, as most of us know, is the Christian tradition honoring the birth of Christ – though it is no longer celebrated with such single purpose as such in our modern society.

To us, Christmas represents a time of joy, giving of gifts, and holidaying with family and friends.

Christmas as we know it evolved out of the Roman tradition of Saturnalia, a festival honoring their god of agriculture, Saturn, on the winter solstice.

Due to the already-rampant celebration taking place on the date and the revering of light and the sun, it was a natural development to celebrate the birth of Christ on the same date.

Many Roman writers give references to the date of December 25th and Christianity between the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and it is believed that the holiday was widely celebrated by Christians by the turn of the 4th century.

Though Christmas is celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ, we don’t know the exact date, or even the year of his birth. However, we do know it is a wonderful season to share around and abroad, the love of God embedded in us.

It is sometimes said that the tradition of gift-giving started with the 3 wise men, who visited Jesus and gave him gifts to celebrate His birth and prepare Him for life on earth.

Therefore, we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, to remind us of the of the significance of the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men:

Frankincense was a perfume used in Jewish worship and, as a gift, it showed that people would worship Jesus.

Gold was associated with Kings and Christians believe that Jesus is the King of Kings.

Myrrh was a perfume that was put on dead bodies to make them smell nice and, as a gift, it showed that Jesus would suffer and die for the world, giving us a rare gift of life.

Christmas itself is really about a big present that God gave the world about 2000 years ago - Jesus! One of the most famous Bible verses, John 3:16, says: 'God loved the world so much, that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him may not be lost but have eternal life.'

All over the world, families and friends give presents to each other. Most children around the world believe in a Christmas gift bringer. It's often St. Nicholas, Santa Claus or Father Christmas. In Germany they believe that it is the Christkind, in Spain they believe it is the Wise Men and in Italy they believe it is an old lady called Befana. In Nigeria, it's a mixture of kind gestures aimed at celebrating Jesus Christ, the best giver of gifts.

Crimson bows, windows piled high with gifts, and Santa Claus’ on every street corner seem to be the embodiment of Christmas spirit today. Delighted by the gentle snow fall and advertised sale prices, it seems most focus on the amount of gifts able to be stuffed under the tree rather than the reason for the season.

While good intent and gifts may bring families together, the underlying inspiration for giving at Christmas is to go beyond our immediate families, friends and well-wishers to reach out to the people on the streets, orphans, widows, the mentally challenged, and people who don't have the capacity to give back or return the favour; this kind gesture reflects the undiluted love of God for the human race, giving us a gift of life when we were homeless, helpless, and without direction.

Everyone is obviously allowed to celebrate Christmas in their own way, But the question is how we can better celebrate Christmas and have a lasting impact on our world?

5 Christmas Gift-Giving Alternatives...

The intent of this topic is to emphasize that it is possible to celebrate Christmas without going broke, and your love can still be shown in a variety of ways.

For many reasons, adopting alternatives to gift giving could yield many benefits: more  environmental impact, better influence, and a more rewarding heart-felt expressions of love.

The following examples share how we can express our love for our families and the outside world in celebration of the Christmas season:

1. Homemade Gifts...

A gift is not as important as the motive behind it. A piece of homemade cake may be more meaningful than the latest attire from Shoprite or Dubai. If costs are an issue or you’d just like to connect more with your family, consider creating cards, crafts, and home-made presents that speak louder than a price tag.

2. Community Service...

Are you feeling charitable? Why not volunteer during Christmas and share your time and resources where they are truly needed? You can spend time taking care of your home, cleaning your community and truly embrace the holiday spirit by visiting charity homes and orphanages. With less focus on the gift-giving, you may reconnect with the beauty of what it is to be human and enjoy the holiday much more.

3. Donation...

Compared to people from certain other countries, is there that much you actually need? Perhaps you could give the amount of money you would have spent on yourself or a loved one and donate it to a charities and orphanages!

The present of a Goat, Chicken, or Sewing Machine or money can literally change lives, and this gift can open up a new world for someone else. Giving livelihood or a main staple in one’s existence is one of the greatest gifts you could purchase; the added benefit of buying it in one’s honor says more than a temporary present, as well.

4. Scavenger Hunt...

Turn Christmas celebration into an all-day event: using goods purchased from shops, get creative with your friends friends and family members, and let them search for clues and scavenge their gifts in an exploratory way. Integrating fun into the celebration will not only increase the excitement, but will engage everyone in the family time for a longer period.

5. See the World...

You can easily spread love and enjoy time with your family while traveling around the world. With this opportunity, you can also choose a new location you’ve never visited and gain inspiration for the season from a different culture’s perspective.

Depending on what Christmas means to you, consider updating your past habits and traditions and moving forward with new celebration ideas which may benefit you, your family, and the world.

Benefits of giving at Christmas...

You may be wondering why you should give at Christmas? Gifts play an important part of the holiday season. I mean, giving out gifts of our resources, 'time and talent' is a good introduction for kindling the spirit of Christmas. In any way, giving encourages us to be of service to one another, and to the people around us.

The act of volunteering doesn't have to take on expensive proportions to make a difference. Simple acts of helping out a neighbour, sick relative or friend in need can help inspire the spirit of giving. Elderly people who are isolated or don't have any extended family nearby will benefit from a visiting volunteer, whether it be to share some time socializing or receiving help with odd jobs in their home. Likewise, a neighbour recovering from an illness or injury could probably use some help with meal preparation, or domestic chores.

The best part of the holiday season is that it brings families together and embarking on a special project is an effective way of teaching the spirit of Christmas. 

Consider these ideas to peruse in your quest to discover the joy in giving of oneself:

• Adopt' a needy family and involve all family members in the purchasing, packaging and delivery of the gifts.

• Arrange a food, toy or clothing drive in your community to model charity and experience the joy of giving.

• A 'drive' for specific items such as teddy bears, pajamas, books or shoes can be a very successful add-on to the traditional food or toy drive.

Mrs Ifesowapo, a mother of two, who created an annual Christmas tradition of encouraging her children to give their resources to needy children, has this to say: "My children have realised that there is more to giving at Christmas than receiving. Above all, they have come to understand that they are the bridges intended to connect people with God by reflecting selfless love through giving. There is an unparalleled joy in witnessing a receiver of your gift giving Thanks to God because you gave..."

The importance of giving at Christmas cannot be over emphasized. We should all know that our gifts to the world go along way to Inspire, motivate and encourage people to enjoy life in abundance. A life enabled by God Almighty, the best giver of all time. Our today is their tomorrow.

I wrote this poem some years back:

I wake up this morning,
I feel a sense of thanksgiving;
In a dream I see Santa Claus
giving out gifts, in a house.

I enter, with expectation.
I wonder, in my imagination.
Surprise, Santa calls my name.
"Hmmn" I say. "you've got fame!"

He hands me my gift.
He says, "This'll give you a lift."
I opened my gift, and wow!
Do I deserve this? How?

I behold his eyes...
In a voice, cool and nice,
He replies, "Yes, you deserve to live...
It's HIS will to give!"

"Who?" I say.
"Ho ho" He laughs. "Jesus, if I may."
"He gives you life, that you may live."
"But to HIM and others, what would you give?"

Let us pray...

Oh God, help us to use our abundant resources to create abundant living for the people around us...
Help us to understand the true meaning of Christmas and to model your great love to the world through giving...
Kindle ablaze the fire of love in our hearts so we can ignite the world and make it a better Place to live...
Inspire a selfless spirit in us to impact the world with our talents and resources...
To the edification of your people, and to the glorification of your name...
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord...
Amen.