Sharing and love convey the true meaning of Christmas

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And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11

When the magi from the east arrived in Bethlehem of Judea in search of the newborn King, they brought with them gifts they felt were worthy of royalty. Today, almost 2,000 years later, the tradition of gift-giving as a means of celebrating Christ's birth continues. Only now, instead of gold and frankincense and myrrh, modern people can choose from a litany of other priceless baubles to bestow upon loved ones, thereby demonstrating the depth of their feeling for them.

However, instead of spending the last days before Christmas searching for the spirit of the season, many of us spend them in search of expensive gift items to fulfill the sometimes extravagant wishes of our young, our sweethearts and a slough of friends and relatives, many of whom we only see on this one occasion each year.

Christmas gift-giving in fact, has lost its once special meaning. Many of us, instead of finding joy in the celebration, will worry and brood over what we can and can't afford but will buy anyway. We will sacrifice our own economic health to bring a fleeting smile to the faces of the people we love or those we are obliged to please. This tradition often brings more sorrow than gladness.

Looking over the stack of this year's Christmas story entries, sent to us from Windspeaker readers, it quickly becomes clear that the gift-giving tradition is over-rated and over-done. Christmas memories, it seems, are not made up of the things that come from one package or another, but the gift that can only come from the heart: Time. The memories of time spent with favorite people doing simple things is a gift that never grows old, wears thin or breaks down.

At first glance, one wouldn't think that taking the time to bake a batch of Christmas cookies with the children, help them decorate the house or attend a school pageant would leave as lasting an impression as the marvels placed in the stockings or in brightly wrapped packages under the tree - but they do. A broom-box or a Barbie bride doll can't replace the warmth of grandma's hugs and kisses, the singing of Christmas carols while cooking a hearty meal on the stove, or the power of the family gathering together at midnight mass.

In truth, we know it is better to measure a generous spirit and bigness of heart by the amount of time a person is willing to spend, not the amount of cash he is willing to part with. But sometimes we forget and choose to place so much more importance on

the material show of love than the love itself. Why? Because we've become accustomed to judging our worth by the things that we possess.

This Christmas, let's take some direction from the one man we choose to honor

at this time of year. Let's celebrate His birth by remembering his words"

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieve do not break in or steal; but where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Matthew 6:19-21