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The Perfect Gift...For Me


Have you ever thought about the perfect gift for that special someone you love? You know, the person you hold most dear? That person that you spend hours just wondering what the absolutely best gift could possibly be? And, of course, I’m talking about me.

I’ve wondered about what I would gift to myself. This is despite childhood training that runs in the opposite direction. See, growing up in my family, gifts only happened on 2 occasions. Christmas and birthdays. This worked out alright for me because my birthday is in June. So I was showered with gifts every 6 months. But one of my sisters has a birthday 4 days before Christmas. (Read: short end of the stick.)

If it wasn’t Christmas and it wasn’t our birthday, our days were marked with rations and needs, but not gifts. Long, arduous days until the next season of gifts appeared. (When you read this, Mom, I’m kidding.) But seriously, we were raised that gifts were for special occasions. You shopped for the other members of your family and depended on their memory to receive what you wanted.

So what would I give myself? I could list the myriad of tech gadgets that would be fun to play with, since I’ll readily admit the truth of the difference between men and boys. It is the price of their toys, although have you tried shopping for young boys these days? It’s not cheap.

I’ve thought this idea through. If I’m going to get myself something, it’s going to be something that someone else wouldn’t get me, no matter how many hints I drop. More than that, I think it should be the thing that only I can get, something only I know how much I need.

So what am I getting this year for myself? It’s a better perspective. It’s the idea that this Christmas season will only last about 30 days, despite the Christmas décor that retailers put out before Halloween. Since the season has a Reason, I will be sure to enjoy the calm and the chaos that comes this month.

No matter how many versions of The 12 days of Christmas drone on the airwaves over and over again, I will keep in mind the Reason we have to sing about this season.

No matter how crowded the stores become, especially when I shop with 2 days left, I will enjoy the time spent with family and friends, no matter. I will not lose the perspective of why I look for and give gifts, because there was One who gave to me.

Because, when the presents are all opened, some are exchanged and a week later when others are forgotten, the Reason will remain. And once I have this perspective in my mind, it’s one I can keep the entire year. Indeed, Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving.

What gift would you like to get yourself this Christmas?
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