What is a gift?

 

One Christmas, quite a few years ago, I decided that I didn't want any gifts, I wanted my friends and family to donate to The Veterans Charity so that I could put together some hampers for veterans in the South Devon area who wouldn't have much over Christmas. I didn't see that there was anything wrong or selfish about this at all, however, I upset my Mum over it. She had already got some gifts for me, and she loves giving, I was accused of being selfish and not thinking of others, but I couldn't understand this, I had thought I was doing quite the opposite.

Looking back now, of course I could see why she was hurt, because the act of giving to others for her is a gift to her all in itself. She felt that I was denying her the pleasure of giving, thankfully we had a good chat about it, made up and exchanged Christmas presents as usual, and I also got to give some hampers to some very worthy people that year.

In that aspect of gifting, the pleasure for my Mum and the gift itself was in the giving. Many of us don't want material things as presents, we have what we need, we don't need extra clutter, what is needed is time with our friends and loved ones.
My husband is one of those wonderful people who would rather have his family around him more than anything else in the world. That's his gift, having his Mum and children around to celebrate Christmas and Birthdays. He would go without everything else to have that, and I think a lot of people who have children are the same.

What would be the perfect gift?
I suppose for me, the gift of time, to have time to be able to do the things I really want in life, the time to take up on adventure and experience. The freedom to be able to learn and be in awe of spectacular views in new places. Maybe this is because I lack personal time, so I treasure it. 
I don't need material things, I have all I need, but time would be the greatest gift.

What would be your perfect gift? Is it something you need? Something that you have wanted all your life? 
Let me know!

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