Christmas gifts

'Tis the season to be giving (and receiving) thoughtful gifts! Christmas is a traditional gift-giving opportunity, of course, and in recent years other religious holidays and secular observances have joined in. Yet we are all too familiar with the reality that our giving of gifts easily tips over into a frenetic spree in response to the insatiable commercial lifestyle in which we are immersed. In the end, it is difficult to satisfy ourselves that we have selected just the "right" gift, or that we have touched all the bases in our caring circle.

When the Magi came to present gifts to the Christ Child -- gold, frankincense, myrrh -- they sought to pay homage to the new King foretold in their ancient prophecies. Perhaps there is a sliver of that sentiment left in our Christmas gift-giving. For many of us disciples, the gathering around the Christmas tree with family/loved ones/extended family often includes those who do not regard themselves as practicing Christians. They certainly enter into the festivities, and we are glad they do. But what about taking a brief moment or two, before the bedlam of opening presents, to relate the Christmas Story as succinctly and personally as we can? That is a gift worth giving.