I remember watching out for the gifts under the tree. No one in the family knew why I did so. But now maybe 4 decades later I must confess, to any of my family  who might read this article, I watched out for the gifts piling up, hoping that I  would not get too many. I worried about my siblings not getting just as much. It worried me whenever I would randomly pick up a present and see my name written on it. It relieved me when I would see a sibling's name written on another gift. I never had the chance to tell my parents this. But I was genuinely thrilled to hear a sibling's name called out to receive a gift instead of mine. It is genuinely better to give than to receive.

     I will never forget the family packed reunions we had in different households. All the banter, all the laughter, all the food, all talk going on at the same time. How joyously noisy! Those family filled celebrations have given me the contentment I would like to share now to people who are helplessy alone. There are so many of them! Some are alone by choice. So that seems to be alright you know! But there are some who have no choice but be alone and I feel for these people. I had my share of being 'alone' during Christmas. When family members were simply missing, a result of a family torn apart, the feeling is sad! It is so important to be with people who need company, just to share a moment or two.

     Christmas used to be a holiday of gift giving and parties to me, of family get togethers and reunions. The story of Jesus birth was like a tradition that came along the holiday season. But this was many Christmases ago. Now, Christmas goes back to the real reason fo the season. It is a celebration of a birth that impacts lives tremenduously, permanently. It is now seeking others, sharing to others and simply reaching out, genuinely!