Opting out of Christmas Gift Giving

[AnOrangeCat]

I don't really do the holidays anymore. Nothing against them at all and I rather enjoy the reason behind Christmas and the aesthetics. The lights and decorations make me feel a little better. But I also live alone in the middle of nowhere. My family isn't really in the picture and my friends are all long distance. I'm fine with all that and prefer it that way but for the sake of holidays it does remove a lot of reason to do things like the gift giving and decorating. I just express some thanks to God, break out the catnip for my cats, and maybe watch some of the Christmas specials for kids from the time I was growing up. It's definitely free of the holiday stress that would otherwise be going on.

[Vine Abider]

10 hours ago, Marathoner said:

I must confess that holiday fare is a mystery to me. Many reasons colluded to make that a reality where I'm concerned, seeing as how I avoided all the trappings of holidays whenever I could during childhood. I would run outdoors when the opportunity presented itself and not return for as long as I could manage. There were very good reasons behind that.

Giving is something we do on a daily basis anyway, which is why I don't observe this season like others do. I'm happy to work additional hours at the shelter so my colleagues are free to spend time with their friends and family. Why not? I have no family, so it's not a burden by any means. Let them enjoy it... there's nothing wrong with doing so.

How we are raised has a big impact upon life down the road. 

Yes, how we are raised does indeed have a big impact on us later on, for sure!  I was raised mostly by my grandparents.  They tried to do what they could, but were limited in that they were scared and didn't appear to know much in the way of love.  We did the traditional Christmas thing, and it was OK.  But when I went to be with my dad, he was pretty much "bah humbug" about 95% of Christmas, and that had an influence on me.

When the Lord saved me when I was 18, He lead me to a group of Christians who were very anti-Christmas.  They presented all the reasons it was really a pagan holiday, and pretty much no one celebrated any holidays there.  I used to rail against all things Christmas - and how many did that save?  No one of course. But for the past 25 years I've been with a group who doesn't care that much, one way or the other, whether or not anyone celebrates Christmas.  And this has truly been a Romans 14:5 experience of letting each do according to their conscience, and no judgement whatsoever.

So now I think I've come full circle.  If the someone can be touched this time of year with something of the Lord through the holiday time, so be it!

[Vine Abider]

6 minutes ago, Slibhin said:

I'm not allowed to accept Christmas gifts, so I encourage my friends to give to charity in lieu of presents.

What do you mean, "I'm not allowed . . ."?

[Vine Abider]

33 minutes ago, Slibhin said:

There is no official rule but Orthodox Jews aren't supposed to support anything that promotes idolatry/paganism. There is no strict rule against gifts but I er on the side of caution.

OIC - thanks for replying!  Did not know that.  So are you then also a messianic Jew (which I think means one believes in Jesus as the Christ)?

[Starise]

We give to the my kids. My wife usually has a family thing , but it's generally well after the new year. They still call it a Christmas gathering. Gifts are usually exchanged then.

My explanation of the value I place on the day itself might ramble some. On the giving end, I think we were duped into thinking giving to others makes us give the way Christ gave. What a mangled concept. These are ipads TV, computers, socks, or whatever. Christ gave His LIFE. 

They say it is more blessed to give than to recieve. Is that one really true? 

I don't like the process because I don't like large crowds of people running through stores. I don't like attempting to figure out what someone else wants and I don't like making anything only about material things at any time of the year. That whole concept is just empty and short lived.

For the longest time I was getting mixed signals from my better half. She would say, I don't want anything...so Christmas day arrived and I didn't get her anything, to which she would say, " You didn't get me anything!" I don't like to play that game. If you want something tell me specifically what you want.

I think we are beginning to gel on it now. I might take her to a B&B and none of it has to be on Christmas day. We decide that together now.

[Marathoner]

12 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Yes, how we are raised does indeed have a big impact on us later on, for sure!  I was raised mostly by my grandparents.  They tried to do what they could, but were limited in that they were scared and didn't appear to know much in the way of love.  We did the traditional Christmas thing, and it was OK.  But when I went to be with my dad, he was pretty much "bah humbug" about 95% of Christmas, and that had an influence on me.

When the Lord saved me when I was 18, He lead me to a group of Christians who were very anti-Christmas.  They presented all the reasons it was really a pagan holiday, and pretty much no one celebrated any holidays there.  I used to rail against all things Christmas - and how many did that save?  No one of course. But for the past 25 years I've been with a group who doesn't care that much, one way or the other, whether or not anyone celebrates Christmas.  And this has truly been a Romans 14:5 experience of letting each do according to their conscience, and no judgement whatsoever.

So now I think I've come full circle.  If the someone can be touched this time of year with something of the Lord through the holiday time, so be it!

I agree, brother. 

[JohnR7]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:39 PM, Vine Abider said:

So has anyone else made that leap?

I think we should share what we have with those in need that have no way to repay us. Then our reward is from God. My wife gives at least 50 or 60% of what she makes. Mostly to her family. I did not think it was so much until I got a print out from the bank one day of where all her money goes.