The Gift

I am not sure what gotten into my wife but she asked me to go shop for Christmas gifts for her brothers and my sister. Now, I am never into buying gifts for Christmas for the same reason I don't buy gifts for Valentine. To me, I don't want a commercialised event to create an unnecessary tradition, more so when giving should be freely from one's heart regardless of occasion.

Source: http://www.belhurst.com/Gift-Certificates.html

Then again, there are exceptions like gift exchange event organised by my former employer last year.

The funniest thing I noticed when I made my rounds in these shopping centres hunting for gifts is the amount of attention given to this particular holiday season. Perhaps it is just me but I noticed for Deepavali, Mid Valley only allocated a corner to do a customary Deepavali commemorative decoration of sort while for Christmas, their left, centre and right courts along with that little corner they used to do their Deepavali decoration was fully decorated with Christmas themes.

On top of that, it is really amazing considering the main focus are always about Christmas trees, Santas, reindeers and of course gift boxes accompanied of course by the evergreen Rudolph and Santa songs.

I am not complaining but I can't help but notice that Christmas is THE event this year since somehow the decorations in these shopping centres eclipse that of Hari Raya and Chinese New Year!

I am amazed and can't help but acknowledge that money plays a big part in all of this and what is better than pushing for an event which encourages shoppers to part with the monies from their wallets? Afterall, isn't this the season of giving?

Source: http://ihmnew.marywood.edu/3.OurSpirituality/ChapelWindows.htm

In the last 100 years, I wonder what happened to the story of the manger where all these started? Isn't it about The Gift where it is God's provision for mankind for all times? I guess retailers don't like controversies. More so The Gift was delivered by an unmarried virgin in a taboo and moral conscious society.

So to all everyone out there, if you have time, to read about controversies, read about the Nativity.

As for those celebrating The Gift God freely gave us:

A very Merry Christmas!