Christmas as defined by Michael

Christmas Tree

There is no doubt that Christmas means different things to different people.  Although not a Christian, I value Christmas from a family-centred perspective and also sadly the only time we stop to really say “thank you” to people in our lives that deserve thought, praise and acknowledgement for the hard work they have put in throughout the year.

Having come from a Buddhist upbringing as well as being typically male, I find gift-giving a rather arduous task around Christmas, thankfully I have not a lot of people to buy for.  Don’t get me wrong, I love giving gifts and I love seeing the faces of the people I give presents to, but there’s a big part me that cringes and squirms when I reflect on how materialistic society has become.  I have heard many different sides to the point of giving and receiving gifts during Christmas, but none that really truly satisfies the side of me that says that we should be learning to appreciate and make-do with the things we have and also finding happiness not through “material” gifts but through more “spiritual” gifts.

Let’s clear the air as to ensure that I’m no painting myself as a hater of Christmas and gift-giving.  I am forever grateful for the presents that I receive and I appreciate the thought and time that have been put into choosing the present, but a meaningful message and some time together with some food is really all I need to satisfy me during Christmas.

Merry Christmas to everyone by the way!