Skip to main content

Gifting Cheer

This year has taken a toll on many of us. Some of you may have lost jobs and now find yourself struggling to provide for your family with everyday necessities. Christmas will look much different for you. For some, you will be unable to visit your family or extended family and friends due to the pandemic. This Christmas will look different for you. 

This post is about gifting. How to give when you have little and when you have plenty. First of all, remember that the true meaning of Christmas is about JESUS, and allow the gift of Him to wash over you and bring you peace.

For me personally, I find great joy in giving to others what I can whether it be my time, a small token, or something that I know they really want but wouldn’t purchase for themselves. With this being said, if you are able to provide for you family and find yourself blessed with more than enough, this is a perfect time to bless others. Consider the following ideas:
  • Adopt a missionary. Speak to your pastor about missionaries that your church supports or find someone you know who works in missions. If anyone has taken a hit during the pandemic, our missionaries have. Send them a care package and remind them that they are not forgotten, especially during this holy season
  • Adopt a local family that you know is struggling. Make sure that you speak with them or someone close to them to make the offer. The best way to approach this situation without embarrassing the recipient is to let them know that you would like to bless them for Christmas this year as Christmas is looking so different for everyone. Provide a Christmas dinner and maybe gift cards to help them out. Or, if they have children, provide gifts for them. Again, the parents may prefer to purchase the presents themselves, so gift cards is probably the best route to take. What a wonderful way to be the hands and feet of Jesus!
  • Consider purchasing gifts through organizations that are missions based. Here are a few links to some of my favorites:

You may also consider donating directly to these organizations or others including:


  • And don’t forget your local church or ministry centers! Along with your regular tithing, maybe give a little extra. Or volunteer to help with cleaning or end of year activities. 

Perhaps you’re in the position of not having the means to gift as you normally would. What a blessing you can be to others! 
  • You can give the gift of time. Visit or call an elderly shut-in or someone who will struggle during the Christmas season due to loss. Sometimes the best thing you can give is simply being present.
  • One of my personal favorite things to receive is hand made items. It shows thought, effort, and time went into something just for me. I treasure each token, and appreciate the skill that went into my homemade gift. This is probably due to the fact that I am NOT skilled in this area! I may have great ideas, but execution of said ideas usually turns out disastrous. If you can crochet, bake, can, sew, or something else, your gifts can be meaningful and perhaps cost less. 

Above all, as we are spreading cheer in word and deed, let us hold closely to the ultimate gift-Jesus Christ. The Son of God who came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died to save us from our sins is still with us in all circumstances.


“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a    cheerful giver.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

© Jill Cook, Unbroken & Undone Ministries. All rights reserved.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Feelings and Faith

Vulnerable moment: it’s been a crazy week. If I’m being honest, the last six months or more have been wrought with uncertainty and so many questions within myself about my purpose.  I’ve been in a season of transition in our family with adapting to having an independent adult child and an independent teenage son-both of whom are thriving. So my purpose as a mom has shifted into steadfast support and guidance from a distance rather than rushing to the rescue, which I know is where we should be with them. This shift has adjusted our marriage. Lyndon and I are both learning how to navigate this new territory, and I’m so grateful we have each other.  My Daddy died suddenly last year, and I am still grieving the unexpected loss and what could have been. Grief is a strange journey and differs for everyone. What I know is Christ gives me the most profound peace when I feel my turbulent heart trying to sway me. But it certainly is a sadness that is layered. Because of these major life...
Post a Comment
Read more

He’s Already Heard My Prayer

This is one of the most difficult pieces to write. My dad, Steve, passed away this morning unexpectedly. He was the “Music Man” in my world who made life a song.  Daddy was responsible for putting me on the stage. At two years old, he stood me on the altar at church so everyone could watch me sing “Victory in Jesus.”   At twelve, he was teaching me how to set up equipment and mix sound. As a teenager, we wrote songs together. His love of music is so deeply ingrained in me that I feel a piece of that is somehow missing now. Things were not always great between me and Daddy. In fact, we went for a long time without having contact with one another. I’m so grateful that God restored our relationship in his final years. Neither one of us were perfect in our relationship, but I always loved him deeply. So today, I’m heartbroken. Memories are flooding my mind, and there are so many things I still wanted us to share. I know the coming days will be filled with waves of grief and the st...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Favorite Things

  With Valentine's Day coming up, I've been thinking about the "stuff" that I really like. Flowers are great, and jewelry is nice. But if you want a friend gift or something a little more unique, here are a few ideas. Perhaps this post will help you shop for the perfect gift that will become a "favorite thing." For the Music Lover If you are purchasing for a musician or vocalist, you have a ton of options including a guitar pick necklace or keyring to tickets for a concert. Even vintage gifts like records have made a strong comeback in the music community. Things to consider when purchasing for your musical genius: what is their favorite genre? Who is their favorite artist? Before buying that album, make sure they don't already have it. For the Teacher I can tell you most assuredly what many teachers DON'T need: another mug. Even though this seems like a simple, cute gift, as a teacher, I have difficulty parting with any gift from students. I have ...
Post a Comment
Read more