The Gift Of You

 This year since my family is comprised of all adults, we are not giving material gifts. Instead we are planning a few events in which we, together, are all participating. One is a concert and the other, a dinner. And it feels sooo good. Trying to second guess someone's "would like" is a challenge or having to make a list of "what I would like" is over. Stress is relieved.  And yes, it is the name of my cultural holiday and it is called Christmas just as other folks call their special days by their names. I have no shame in being who I am, nor of my own culture and its history. None of us should hide our heritage because it is what we are in this great Canadian mosaic that I dearly love. This Christmas will be one without the piles of paper and ribbon but it will be  warmer and truer because we will be together and that counts for everything that Christmas means: love and giving of ourselves and being in a company that shows respect and recognition of family and friends. Children do look forward to the fun of Santa gifts. They needn't be costly but they should be thoughtful and meaningful. At the same time, since we are all very conscious of the need to keep our globe going in a lasting and "clean" way, we are also thinking of others not as fortunate as ourselves. Gifting should include taking care of each other in our varied world. Not giving gifts is a gift in itself and certainly takes away the stress of shopping and its down sides. The good side of "shopping",  even if it is window shopping, are the decorations, some so beautiful that they are a gift in themselves. As a child we were taken every year to peer through the glass of a large department store which put up a delightful display of a Santa toy train. It was free and such a wonderful treat to see it along with all the other store windows. We made it a point to drop some charity change as we went along. We didn't have lunch with Santa because we weren't rich enough, but just to be in town, was enough.  But the best part of my children's Christmas memories are of the people and of being together.