We can give the gift of Christ’s love daily by smiling, showing kindness, encouraging one another with God’s Word, praying, and being present during life’s varying seasons and challenges.
The holidays are upon us, and the gift-giving season is in full effect. Each year, we are on a mission to find a meaningful gift for our family, close friends, co-workers, or church family. Whether you buy far in advance or are a last-minute shopper, finding the “perfect” gift can become overwhelming and an unwanted financial burden. Purchasing and giving gifts to express our love and appreciation to our loved ones should be joyful, but it often becomes an added stressor that diminishes its original intent. If you are struggling with purchasing gifts for the Christmas season, there are many ways to give gifts without spending money.
Here are some meaningful gifts to give that are completely free (yet priceless in value):
1. Quality Time
Quality time is one of the best gifts we can give that is completely free. Being fully present with our family and friends is irreplaceable and very meaningful. During this holiday season, I invite you to drop the distractions and spend quality time together by checking in, reading Bible stories, playing games, watching movies, or cooking a meal together. Listening to each other is another powerful way of spending quality time together. When we spend focused quality time with each other, we continue to learn, grow, and enjoy the gift of the person’s presence.
Giving the gift of spending uninterrupted quality time also shows your loved one that you care and that nurturing the relationship is important to you. Whether it is spending more quality time with your spouse, children, or a close friend, it is a gift that shows care, compassion, and love and provides an opportunity for relationships to grow stronger and closer together. Be intentional about renewing your commitment to spending quality time with those in your life who matter the most. Do not allow the busyness of life to overshadow being fully present and making space and time to cultivate the relationships in your life that bring you joy.
By being intentional with this Christmas gift, we reinforce how important it is to invest quality time in each other all year long.
2. Love/Words of Affirmation
The holidays are a great time to tell and show our loved ones how much they mean to us. Say “I love you,” write a gratitude letter, or share the different ways that you appreciate them. We don’t have to buy a gift to show that we love someone. One of the best gifts that we can give is to share why our loved ones and close friends mean so much. During the hustle and bustle of the year, we don’t often pause and share our love and gratitude for one another enough. Giving and receiving love and affirmation helps to encourage and uplift our spirits, keep us motivated to keep pressing forward, and is a wonderful reminder of the support God has blessed us with.
Today, I invite you to give the special gift of uplifting and encouraging your family or friend with encouraging words of affirmation. Let them know by sharing verbally, writing a letter, playing music, or drawing. It doesn’t matter how you show your affirmation, but that it is shown with love, compassion, and kindness.
3. Donate to Someone in Need
Donating gently used clothes, books, personal items, or toys to someone in need is another way to give without spending money. What is no longer of need to us is the biggest blessing for someone else. Giving generously with a grateful heart is one of the amazing ways to represent Christ’s love and kindness. There is always someone in need, and abundantly grateful to those who give from a generous heart and spirit. Donating serves a dual purpose for helping you to clear out your personal or home space and helps to fill an ongoing need for someone who benefits from your generosity.
As believers in Christ, God calls us to give from a joyful heart, not from a place of obligation or coercion. When we fill a need and give the gift of generosity, we continue to represent the hands and feet of Jesus. Today, I invite you to take inventory of clothes or things in your home and see what you can donate and share with another person or organization that needs them.
(While you're at it, perhaps you can give the gift of an heirloom to a family member. If finances are tough this year, perhaps instead of a store-bought piece of jewelry, your daughter or granddaughter would most treasure a family brooch or set of earrings. Be creative with what you tend to consider "old," "outdated," or "useless.")
4. Create a Video Message
Create a special video message sharing how much your loved ones mean to you and why you are grateful for them. You can use a smartphone, computer, or camera to share your sentiments, and the message doesn’t have to be complicated, long, or elaborate. Speaking a simple, heart-filled message of love, joy and hope will be greatly appreciated by the recipient. Your video message will be a timeless gift that will be appreciated for years to come. It will be a keepsake that the recipient can watch anytime he or she wants to and needs some encouragement or reminder that they have a community of love and support. Video messages are authentic and classic gifts that speak directly to the recipient’s heart and soul and are memories that will last a lifetime.
5. Represent Christ’s Love
Representing Christ’s love is an incredible gift to give during the holidays and throughout the year. We represent Christ’s love daily by showing kindness, listening to others, being compassionate, and sharing generously. We also show Christ’s love by praying and encouraging others and living out God’s Word in our daily lives. Often, representing Christ’s love also means being present and available when a family member or friend is going through a difficult season and needs to experience the renewing power of God's love and hope. We can give the gift of Christ’s love daily by smiling, showing kindness, encouraging one another with God’s Word, praying, and being present during life’s varying seasons and challenges.
As we close out this year and prepare for a new one, I invite you to focus on giving and sharing the gifts that are meaningful, transcend time, and are shared from the heart. The recipients of our gifts won’t remember how much money we spent on a gift, but they will remember the experiences and memories we give selflessly. Spending quality time, sharing words of affirmation, donating to someone in need, creating a video message, or representing Christ’s love are gifts that will leave a lasting impact for generations to come.
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