The joy of giving

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Christmas is the one occasion when the joy of giving is just as much, or perhaps even a greater part of giving gifts than any other occasion during the year ~ like birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations.
Yes there is still that underlying current that says one doesn’t want to give less to a loved one than other family members might ~ in other words, there is a certain status to the gift giving ~ yet still a lot of it is for the joy of giving...

Giving to others makes us feel good. Both for seeing the joy of the other person receiving the gift as well as feeling good about ourselves for having given to the other person.
It’s a win win experience.

And as it is something that makes both the receiver as well as the giver feel good ~ it makes me wonder why we are doing it only a certain time of the year, or at certain occasions.

There is the expectancy of receiving gifts just as you have given gifts ~ a give and take that goes along lines that say: ‘If I give them this gift they owe me one...’ And while that is a very human thought, it does seem to take away from pure joy of giving; the act of giving in and by itself.
And of course there is a price tag. The actual cost of the gifts is something hardly anyone can afford on a whim throughout the year.

Yet if it is all about the joy of giving, there are many gifts we have to give to another person that don’t have that hefty price tag...
Like a smile. Or a phone call, a text message, a card... Taking the time to truly listen to what the other person has to say, or being patient enough to let the other person talk it out... Helping another person with what they feel they need help with rather than with what we ‘know’ they need help with... The tolerance that allows the other person to be different, and to live their life in their own ~ yet different ~ manner.
They are all gifts that are hard to come by in the world today.
They are also gifts that don’t have an actual price tag ~ they are priceless!

All they require is an attitude that there is always joy in giving, and a willingness to truly see the other person at face value.
And when we allow ourselves to live our lives that way ~ the season of giving lasts throughout the year!
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