Christmas. To a child, it's all about getting. But, for the most part, it's not at all that way for adults. Why is that?
I was sitting in church this morning, listening as the speaker brought the children to the front and asked them about Christmas. Guess what they were excited about? All the STUFF they were going to GET. So I'm thinking about my desires for Christmas day, and none of it has anything to do with my getting anything. Is it because I'm not going to like the presents I'll get? Certainly not! In fact, if all goes well, I'll get that new iPod I've been wanting, and even better... there'll be CHOCOLATE in my stocking. My kids have pretty much figured out that there's really nothing more important for me to find in that gift bag than a big, lucious selection of chocolate. So, no, it's not that I don't want anything, but I really don't get all worked up about the prospect of getting stuff on Christmas.
So what's up with the kids' excitement about getting stuff, and why don't I still have that feeling? Here's my opinion.
As a child/student/young person, one has essentially no resources, so at Christmastime it's possible to receive things that one has no other way to obtain. Once we become responsible adults, we no longer have this limitation — so the getting is not so important. (OK, there are still a few things I have no chance of getting for myself: if I were to be given a brand new Dodge Viper, or maybe a Lamborghini, I'd be really excited.) So when does this transition occur? It may come slowly. For me, it changed as I became a "productive citizen". But hey — would you believe that I was in my late 20's before this happened? Even in college and graduate school I was excited about getting stuff at Christmas. In fact, my favorite gift of all time came when I was about 20 years old: My parents gave me a big Craftsman toolbox full of wrenches, sockets, drivers, and accessories that I still use to this day. Here 30 years later, just holding one of the wrenches in my hand continues to connect me to my father.
I recall with sadness being told as a child (mostly by school and bible class teachers) that I should want to give and not receive — and I felt guilty because I didn't feel that way! Now I realize that my desire to receive was OK! The "getting" is great, and it was very exciting — I mean, really, how cool is that? Every child learns through that experience how joyful and invigorating it is to receive something you could not possibly get for yourself. Does this sound familiar? There is still something that I desire greatly that I cannot possibly ever get for myself, no matter how hard I work or how much money I have or how many good deeds I do or how many people I schmooze with. And that brings us right back to Christmas, and the real reason that Christmas is all about getting.
