Among the things that take up a lot of people’s time, energy and funds this time of the year are the various activities associated with gift-giving at Christmas. First, we decide who would receive our gifts. Some names, for one reason or another, readily come to mind. But sometimes we need to deliberate exactly how we feel about some of those on our lists. This exercise forces us to take a trip down memory lane. We want to be sure before we strike some names off our lists.
Second, we rack our brains to come up with appropriate but affordable gifts to give. This is the reason a lot of people flock to Divisoria, Carriedo and Greenhills. These shoppers are also most likely to get the best value for their money when they buy in bulk there. But the malls are not skipped completely. Wherever there is a sign that says “SALE” or “_ % OFF” people are most likely to crowd that part of the mall.
After overcoming the challenge of picking out the best gifts within one’s budget, the next task is wrapping them. This is where creative juices are once again needed to ensure that the gifts would look pretty and “sosyal.”
Amid all these frenzied activities, it is so easy to forget why we are doing these things. By focusing our energies on preparing the material things for Christmas, we become more like Martha instead of Mary. Martha got so engrossed in her preparations that she did not have the time to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to Him on that special day when He visited them. And Jesus rebuked her when she expressed exasperation over her sister who “has chosen what is better.” We should take heed of His words to calm our anxious spirits.
As the day of our Savior’s birth approaches, may we spend the better portion of our time seeking His presence and thanking Him for His faithfulness even in the times when we are not faithful to Him. More than material gifts, let us strive to let others experience the beauty of the spiritual gifts of compassion, generosity and faith that we have received from God. We have to remember that on Christmas Day the Father gave us His Son so that we may enjoy eternal life.
Daphne D. Ignacio, 28, is a school librarian at Jubilee Christian Academy.