Pre-Christmas Blues - The Irony of Exchange Gifts

Modern tradition has it that, in every Christmas party you attend, you should participate in the exercise of exchanging gifts. It is the practice of a group of people giving gifts to each other and receiving gifts from each other in return. This practice is either called "Exchange Gifts" or the more popular "Kris Kringle."

Most of us are familiar with the famous saying, "It is better to give than to receive," a scriptural quote from Acts 20:35. I believe this is supposed to be the spirit of the gift-giving tradition during Christmas. The irony of the matter in the practice of exchanging gifts during Christmas parties is this - you do not receive a gift if you yourself did not give a gift - like the gift you will receive is the reward for the gift you will give.

Christmas Present

A funny yet true story


A group of girl friends made a pact to always have a reunion every Christmas time, some sort of a mini Christmas party for their "gang." Never did they put a halt to this annual party, even if most of them were already married and had children.

In their recent reunion party, the ever exciting Kris Kringle tradition was not missed (of course), and the theme of the gift-giving was about something soft and fluffy yet hygienic and useful. So there they went, each one gave her gift to her "baby" (as what the receiver of the gift is called in a Kris Kringle). Afterwards, everyone unwrapped the gift she received, and VOILA, all of them (yes, ALL OF THEM) received the same type of TOWELS.

Surprise! Surprise! They were all thinking of the same object when they were planning on what gift to give for their Kris Kringle. Of course, it was not the actual gift that matter (or so they say), it was the fun and the thought that count.

To be honest, though: Didn't it look like each one just bought a towel for herself and put it inside a box with a Christmas design paper wrapped around it?

No exchange gifts during the first Christmas


Let us remember that the first Christmas was about a family whose mother was in labor and about to give birth, yet there was no inn to welcome them. Because of this, the father had no choice but to bring them into the only available shelter at that time; and so the mother gave birth to a baby boy in the company of farm animals. This baby boy would grow up to be the Reason we celebrate the Season.

How ironic it is that the Christmas of our era is so extravagantly different from the simplicity and austerity of the first Christmas.


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