Obviously, we celebrate "The Greatest Gift of All", in accordance with our Christian Faith....
If "Nicholas" should have been a Turkish Bishop, or should the story line have "mingled" with "Kris Kringle" of Holland, (I believe?) the Season certainly is one where all can find it in our hearts to give, if not "for once" then at least a little more generously...
(Gently laughing) I can remember one of our first Christmases together, probably the second or third, where my wife and I stopped and bought Christmas "House Mouse" momento's for our "then" two daughters, on the night of the 24th, with about our last dollars...that they have clung to and preserved to this day, many years later!
Subsequently, that point where the families start "fragmenting" at the dinner table, and the year when we were the only couple, (albeit we had a 'selection' of grandkids, at this point!) that were prepared to spend the day with Marg's parents and mine...while the "others" wanted to "try Christmas on their own" at their own places...so we invited both sets of Grandparents, and an open "tag" to any others...of course, the rest chickened out, and we had the full throng through...resulting in us being a "bit short" of ingredients on Christmas Day...
well the Lord provided, with a box of "All-Bran" to bring up the stuffing, in absence of bread...my brother in law's "constitution" was unequal with the ingredient, and he spent Boxing Day on the toilet, which was JUSTICE, indeed, and my aunt, fortunately, hosts the hoards for an "At Home" on Boxing Day, and we got enough to eat there that the way the Masses cleaned us out didn't matter...
LOL!
It was a long while ago!
Again, its a time whee we should all consider our fabulous fortunes in being in good health, rich beyond measure by any other standard on Earth, in company or proximity of friends and family...and able to reach out and help the less fortunate...
What are people on this List doing to achieve that?
Are you
a) Inviting "singles" to your family Christmas dinner and celebration?
b) "Sponsoring", anonomously, a needy family, with the means for a full meal and gifts, such as you and yours are getting and giving? (Its a tax deduct...!)
c) Reaching out to servicemen and women, who are off on foreign service? Sending them something? Doinng something for their wives or families?
d) Doing something "environmentally correct" for your community, state or region?
e) Not just "doing something for the Church", but actively furthering Christianity outside one's own parish?
Such things might be "understood" by the Almighty to be a "Celebration" of the donation of his Peerless Son to our Salvation...and He had but One to give...
Give that some thought through "Thanksgiving" and "Christmas", let alone "Epiphany"...
Lifter
(will now take the dog collar off, but expect you may understand where I'm coming from!)