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Christmas and New-Year's Gifts

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 26, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 52.

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Christmas and New-Year's Gifts

By CHAS. P. WHITFORD

CHAS. P. WHITFORD
At this season of the year it has become a common custom to present some little token of remembrance to friends and loved ones. This custom of giving has grown in volume, until to many persons it has ceased to be a pleasure and has become a burden. The man with whom times are hard has his misfortunes brought close to his heart by the fact that his family must feel them as well as himself. He desires to purchase for his wife and children some of the necessary things of life, and he has not the means to do even that, and consequently their happiness is marred.
There are many who spend money for things that they can not afford, and things that their friends do not need. They give with expectation of getting in return gifts equally costly. Christmas and New-year's giving with many is mere barter and exchange. What we are suffering from is barrenness of the true spirit of giving. We bring expensive gifts to the festival, and forget the frankincense and myrrh.
It is not the value of a gift that we should prize so much as the spirit of true friendship that prompts the giving of it. There is more value in the clasp of a friendly hand, and a look from a pair of eyes carrying sincere wishes for one's happiness, than could possibly be shown by ivory or gold mountings presented as a duty gift.
Many a heart after having received a costly gift will still be hungry, empty, and aching, because the giver was not in the gift.
Have you ever stopped to think what priceless gifts — thought gifts, love gifts — you might bestow without money? There is nothing the human heart so hungers for, yearns for, as sympathy, encouragement, and love. These are things which money has no power to purchase.
If you have many friends and little money, you need not let clouds darken your Christmas and New-year's giving because you can not express your feelings for them in more or less costly presents. My own heart was made glad last year when I received the following letter:—
“DEAR BROTHER: We were indeed thankful for your kind remembrance and enclosures. We thank you for the cordial expressions that we greatly appreciate, because we know they come from a good and true heart. Our remembrance of you will always be pleasant. We wish you health and happiness.”
A little girl wrote her grandma the following letter: “I have no gift to send you, dear grandma; but I love you, love you, LOVE YOU.”
This little girl's Christmas message brought such tears of joy to the eyes, and such a glow of gratitude to the heart, as no gift that money could buy could ever bring.
Orlando, Fla.