For it is in giving that we receive.
- St. Francis of Assisi
Meanwhile, did you know that the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas originated from St. Nicholas' generosity at Christmas in those days? According to what I've learned, St. Nicholas used to give gifts unfailingly to the poor in the season of Christmas and he always wore coats and boots because it's winter season at Christmas, and walked about carrying a big bag filled with presents and he had a big belly, so somehow, as the years went by, people began to associate Christmas with presents. Please take your time to search for the story on Google, this is what I remember from the story Seember narrated to Mimi.
So I went with this packed gift to the parked car of this very pleasant daddy. We'd earlier said our hellos and wished the traditional āMerry Christmasā so I went to his side of the car and told him that my mum had sent me. He had two bottles of groundnuts and some other things I later learnt were gifts from people. I said, ādaddy, my mummy said to give you thisā. He had his whole family in the car including his wife, and they were all saying āthank youā and it made me laugh because I couldn't imagine how all of them would share the present. His wife said, āna only daddy get gift for this Christmas, everybody don come with things for daddy like say na only daddy deyā.
Can you ask yourself the following questions? Throughout this year, did I do stuff to deserve presents at Christmas? Was I generous? Did I intentionally touch lives? Was I a good human, and did I somehow touch lives that I wasn't even aware of?
This daddy has been a jolly daddy since I had the sense to know good from bad. Even more now, I have witnessed him be a good human with no discriminations. I'll always get a bombastic side eye from him if I've been home for more than a week and have not gone to greet him at his shop. The last time I was home he asked me, āsince when did you come back? Why you no come shop?ā. The visit to the shop only involves dressing up, packing a small gift (not all the time), taking a bike to get there, gisting about school and then sitting pretty and watching him attend to customers and visitors for the most part.
I know that daddy will always give me money when I go the shop to greet him; he'll receive me, buy me a drink and give me money including my transport fare back home. On so many occasions, I've watched people troop in with one request or another and watched as daddy would dispense money or advice. Now that I have a reasonable experience with the economy, I feel he doesn't need more than he's already shouldering, so I try to avoid anything that'll make him have to give me money, but from all indications, he doesn't mind.
This year, I told myself that I would give all the people close to me presents on their birthdays, I started really well and I gave little presents out to the people I could. Asides material things, I worked to be a better friend, I gave my time and my presence.
Watching this daddy receive gifts reminded me that, āit is in giving that we receiveā.
Our current auxiliary Bishop is another point of reference for this post. Never have I encountered someone so freehanded. In his sermon at mass on Sunday (the eve of Christmas) he emphasised on the importance of giving if you hope to receive and being who you want people to be to you. During his sermon today, he re-emphasised and made examples of how he has received generous fundings for our current church project and revealed that he'd learnt earlier in life that if he wants to receive, he needs to give. He said, āgive a chicken and you will receive a goat, give a goat and you will receive a cowā.
Not saying we have to follow squarely, but no matter how little you have, you can begin to sow and when it's time to begin reaping, people will marvel at how much you have yielded.
Merry Christmas š
Enjoy the presents under the tree, the people who put them there, and the extra spark of gratitude the season brings.
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