Thought for the week: What we should give our friends at Christmas - Rev Jim Rea

She sent a Christmas present to her sister in Australia, and two years later she received the same gift in the post from another sister in Canada. I guess many of us might laugh at the story, and admit with me that we too may have recycled the odd gift.

Buying Christmas presents can be a challenge sometimes, not knowing what to buy or whether buying a gift for someone puts the obligation on them to buy for us. Unfortunately, some people overstretch their budget and accumulate serious debts in the early days of January.

Things have changed from the day when my grandfather, who was born in 1896, would recall that his Christmas stocking contained an apple, an orange, a bar of chocolate and a sixpence - worth about two pounds in today’s currency.

The longer I live the more conscious I have also become of people’s attitude to Christmas gifts. On one occasion, bringing a box of biscuits to a woman who was housebound, I was told that I should give these to someone who needed them. Another person I thought was in need sent me on my way with the words: “ I don’t take charity!”

One bachelor I knew was always given gifts by his family at Christmas, but, as they would say: “He’s loaded with money, but he’s tight and never gives a bean to anyone.”

Never having experienced the joy of giving he was, in my memory, a pretty unhappy person. In contrast to him, at this time of year I know many people who are extremely generous, giving to the poor and the hungry, entertaining the homeless and setting money aside to help others.

In the Christian tradition, giving gifts comes from the story of the Wise Men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Baby in the manger at Bethlehem.

This child Jesus was God in human form, who would bring hope to a broken and sinful world. Humankind was lost and without hope but as the Bible puts it: “the Son of Man (Jesus) came to seek and to save the lost.” (St Luke 19:10)

How we respond to Jesus will change our ultimate destiny. We may ignore or reject Him, but if we respond positively and accept that we need a Saviour, it becomes the greatest decision of our lives. This experience brings abundant life in the present, and the gift of eternal life that transcends this life to be with Christ which is far better. All too wonderful for words.

While we cannot bring physical gifts to Jesus like the Wise Men, Christina Rossetti the 19th century hymn-writer puts it so well in her well-known carol:

“What can I give Him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a wise man

I would do my part,

Yet what I can I give Him,

Give Him my heart.”