Giving says 'I am glad you exist'

At Christmas, gifts can become overwhelming: lists, obligations, spending just for the sake of spending. Yet originally they have a beautiful meaning. Giving gifts was born as a way of sharing joy at the birth of Jesus: a material gesture to say something we do not always know how to put into words. Because, at heart, a good gift is not valuable for its price, but for what it says: 'I remember you', 'I am glad you are here', 'you matter to me'. A small, thoughtful gesture communicates more than an expensive one bought in a rush. Do not let commercialism steal that from you. Before buying just to meet an obligation, ask yourself to whom you want to say 'I am glad you exist', and how. That is where the real gift lies, whether the wrapping lasts or not.