Giving and receiving gifts for Christmas has become an enjoyable Christmas tradition with a costly price tag. The splurge to buy pushes many into burdensome debt and the inability to buy leaves others down in the dumps. The good news is, you don’t have to get into debt or feel miserable to afford valuable and long lasting Christmas gifts.

Gift Love
Everyone needs love and what better time to express and show love than at Christmas? Is there someone in your home, neighborhood, Church or community going through illness, bereavement or any other distress? Why not gift love to these hurting friends? Even a visit, a prayer or a tea shared in love will make a valuable present. Christ’s birth was an act of love and gifting love to each other is the best way to celebrate Christmas.

Gift Hope
Hope is the peg our life hangs on and Jesus Christ is the only one who can give Hope. His life, His death and His resurrection opened the way for sinful people to reach God. If you have found Hope in Christ, this is the best gift you can give at Christmas time to the ones around you. Be it your friends, colleagues or unsaved family gift hope by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gift Encouragement
An apt word spoken in season is like honey to the soul. Words of encouragement are hard to come by but when they are uttered, lives are restored and prepared for the Master. This Festive season, think of someone you know who is depressed or lonely and gift encouragement. Your comforting words spoken in Christ’s Name may become the only light to a dark life.

Gift Time
‘Time’ is always short for us who live in this fast track world. We are so caught up in overcrowded schedules that often make us forget people in our own family. When was the last time you played with your child, spent a quiet evening with your spouse, visited your parents, had family prayer or caught up with an old friend or siblings? Think of those you love, make a list if that helps and gift time this Christmas. If you have a well balanced life, spending many happy hours with family and friends, gift time to the less fortunate. Why not volunteer with a charity or visit a home for the aged as a family? Your time may be the only gift someone may long to get.

Gift Joy
Joy to the World, the Lord is come is a Christmas favorite we hear and sing through the season. Christmas Joy comes in knowing that Christ has come as a gift from God to save fallen man. His cross and His blood have brought us in right standing before God. It cost God a lot to send His precious Son that first Christmas Day. But because Jesus came, Joy also came into every heart that received His love. God sends a reminder to you this Christmas, as you gift love, hope, encouragement and time to a hurting world, He Gifts Joy to your soul.

Happy Christmas!

Here are two useful books you might want to buy from Amazon.com for further reading.
Buy 'Preparing for Christmas: Daily Meditations for Advent' by Richard Rohr from Amazon.com
Buy 'Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas' by various authors from Amazon.com