Big Dogs Weblog

A Simple Gift For Christmas

by Big Dog on Dec 24, 2008 at 07:05 Political

Some time ago I was told a story by a friend who said he wished a fellow worker a Merry Christmas. The other worker was Jewish and flew off the handle saying that not everyone celebrated Christmas and that it was presumptuous for someone to give such a greeting.

In this fast paced world it is very easy to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. The holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the man Christians believe to be the son of God. Christians are not the only ones who believe in Christ, only that he is the son of God. Jews and Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet of God. Jesus is mentioned in the Koran as such a prophet.

So why would a Jew, or any other non Christian be irate at the celebration of the birth of a man that many acknowledge existed but only view as a prophet?

The reality is that as we move farther from the birth of Christ we lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is a time of renewed hope and for giving. Unfortunately, the over commercialization of the holiday has taken away from the concept of giving. One does not need to buy or receive the latest gee whiz item to honor the holiday. Certainly one does not need to spend himself into poverty to uphold the concept of giving.

Giving comes in many forms. There are those who give of their time to those less fortunate by donating to or serving in food centers that help feed the needy. There are those who take in abandoned or drug addicted children and give them love and hope for a better future. Any simple act of kindness is a gift that is given and that includes the kindness of wishing one a Merry Christmas. It would be considered bad manners to berate a person over a material gift so why would we allow one to get away with berating a person over a simple wish?

Christmas is a time to celebrate a new beginning and the idea that each of us is capable of freely giving to others. There is no greater feeling than one gets after giving a gift without precondition, no matter how small the gift might seem. A smile directed at someone can brighten his day and it takes little effort to give.

It is unfortunate that we have lost sight of the meaning of this sacred time. Regardless of whether one believes Jesus Christ was a prophet or the son of God we celebrate His birth because, in part, He was a kind and gentle soul who did good for his fellow man. He preached the value of giving and of leading a wholesome life, something we should aspire to.

Certainly we have the decency to accept a “Merry Christmas” as a greeting intended to wish one well and convey desire for peace and good tidings.

During this season that we have allowed to morph into a chaotic time of year please take the time to count your blessings and remember the true meaning of Christmas Day.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, prosperous New Year. Consider that my gift to you, as simple as it might seem.

This post is my submission to the Carnival of Christmas hosted by my blog sister Kat of Cathouse Chat. Please stop by and rad the great entries by bloggers from around the country. I believe there are around 60 entries this year!

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Tags: Christmas, giving, holiday, jesus christ