The old cliche "Tis better to give than to receive" holds so much truth. I have found throughout my lifetime that I would much rather give than receive.

Christmas is the one time of year when we all participate in giving. After all, giving is the basis for Christmas. God gave His only Son to the world. There has been no greater gift than that since.

During this particular time of year, I invest a great deal in the gift giving aspect of the holiday perhaps more than any other tradition that accompanies this wonderful season. I enjoy taking the time to make my list of gifts that I am going to give those special people in my life. I have never been one of these folks who goes to the stores without a clue as to what to buy. No, the planner in me, meditates on what I will be giving each person. Each person on my gift list gets my undivided attention. I think about the individual and what I will give them that year. I reflect on their hobbies and interests and use that as the basis for giving the perfect gift. Depending on the person, is dependent on whether I buy something special for that person or whether I make them a gift. Either way, my goal is to give them something they won't soon forget. My gift in return is seeing the expression on their faces when they open their special gift from me.

My foremost goal with gift giving has been to give the recipient something that they can identify with. I want the gift to be memorable for them. One they won't toss in a closet or drawer somewhere or possibly re-gift to someone they dislike. It doesn't stop there. I like giving a gift that will hold special meaning for that person. i treat each gift I am giving as if it is the only one I will give that year and the person receiving is the single most important person in my life. Into every gift goes a great deal of love and passion. Each year thereafter, I repeat the same process all over again.

I believe there is no greater joy than that of which we receive when we give to others, whether it is in the form of gifts or the giving of our time, talents, or of ourselves. God gave His only son thousands of years ago in order to set the ultimate example for us all of what it means to truly give. If we can give of ourselves, our hearts, our minds, and our souls with the same passion and love that God gave to us and still gives to us each and every day, we will have grasped the true concept of why it is so much better to give than to receive.

Learn more about this author, Dawn M. O'Neal.
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