Presence Over Presents This Holiday Season

With the hype of the newest items, the signs plastering deals over every store wall, and the eager employees with Santa hats who are there to greet you before you walk through the door, it is so easy for material items to be the highlight of the holiday seasons.

I am guilty of creating Christmas lists a mile long and spending hours wrapping gifts in beautiful wrapping paper that is sure to catch the interest of even the Grinchiest individual. I get so stuck on giving the best gifts and heading to every store to get the best sale that I forget to be present in the lives of those I am giving gifts to.

This holiday season I am looking forward to the giggles heard from little kids meeting Santa, the extra tight hugs from family members, and the warm feeling I get when I look around the room at holiday parties and realize how important my friends and family are to me.

I am all for giving and all for blessing someone during this time of the year, but this year I am going to put some extra focus on the laughs, the memories, and the experiences that come out of this time of year. I want my family and friends to be able to say my name when they think of what makes the holidays a great time in their life.

So while you’re standing in line this holiday season buying gifts, remember that these presents are just material ways to show that you love and care for someone. Remember to be present in their life – we are not always going to remember what we received around the holidays, but we will sure remember who made the holidays worth celebrating.