I heard recently about a 90-year-old lady who one Christmas found buying presents a bit much, so she wrote out checks for all of her family and friends, and decided she would put them in with her Christmas cards.  She wrote out her Christmas cards and put "Buy your own present" after her name, then sent them off.

But after the Christmas festivities were over, she found the checks in her desk!  Everyone had got a Christmas card from her with "Buy your own present" written inside but without the checks!

We all like gifts.  We like to receive them from those that we love.  And we also enjoy giving them.  What Jesus said is certainly true:

"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
(Acts 20:35)

I used to think that the greatest joy of Christmas belonged to children because they get to experience the excitement of opening their presents.  But I've learned that the real excitement of Christmas comes in being able to give to those who mean so much to you.

Unfortunately, our gift list is always so limited.  If you're like me at this time of the year, you always have a lot of people you would like to get something special for, but you just don't have the money.  We can't give to everyone.  But God can, and God has, and there's no one who's been left off of his gift list.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

This Christmas, enjoy giving gifts and enjoy receiving them.  But be especially thankful for the greatest gift of all that came to this earth in the form of a baby in a stable in the little town of Bethlehem, and be sure that you respond by receiving that gift through obedient faith.