By this time, I suspect you are wondering if you are going to get everything done before the 25th. Each time you hear how few shopping days are left until Christmas, you tense up. When you realize you just missed the biggest sale of the year, your enthusiasm sags. Is it really worth all of the hassle?
In the chaotic hustle and bustle of this holiday season it is easy to become frustrated. Perhaps the season would be more meaningful if we just refocus our attention. Susan Conder wrote, “Christmas is making something for someone I love. Every handmade gift includes hours spent thinking about that person, what they would like, how I am going to make it special and how much they will enjoy the labor of love.”
Very few of us have the time or talent to hand-make our all of our gifts, but I do like the motivation behind Susan’s comment. Our giving should be a labor of love and our focus ought to be on the person not the gift. After all, that’s the heartbeat of the first Christmas – God had us in mind and his gift was the greatest labor of love.