I don’t know how old I was, or what year it was, or exactly what it was that changed my mind, but somewhere in my teens I realized it was better to give than receive.

 

It’s an old saying that everyone has heard before, but not everyone really understands.

 

I was watching A Christmas Carol the other evening. It was a more recent version with Patrick Stewart as the main character, Scrooge. I prefer the older 1951 version with Alastair Sim. (I guess that’s the one I remember watching as a child.)

 

Anyone familiar with the story knows the plot: Scrooge is a selfish, greedy miser who doesn’t care about anyone, won’t give his employee time off for Christmas to be with his family.

 

On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by  his deceased partner, Jacob Marley’s ghost, who is cursed to wander the earth dragging heavy chains, forged during a lifetime of greed and selfishness. Scrooge is then visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet to come and learns that he will have the same fate as Marley unless he changes his ways.

 

In the end, Scrooge sees the error in his ways and redeems himself.

 

I’ve never considered myself greedy. But like most young kids, my biggest joy on Christmas was opening presents. 

 

We didn’t have a lot of money for too many presents, and there was never anything lavish or expensive. But at the time, it never occurred to me that I should be getting gifts for anyone else.

 

That changed as I got a little older. I didn’t have any Scrooge nightmares that scared me into wanting to give to someone else. It was probably just something that happens to most people as they grow up and realize giving is its own reward. 

 

Once I got my first job and had a little money, I started giving presents to my parents on Christmas and on their birthdays. 

 

I couldn’t do much for my siblings. There were seven of us, and I didn’t make enough to spend it on presents.

 

But I realized giving made me feel good about myself. I enjoyed the look on my parents’ faces when they opened their gifts. And as the years have gone by, I still feel good when I can give to others and make them happy.

 

That’s something that is very common around the holidays. People buy presents, donate to charities and seem to be a bit more kind to others.

 

It’s too bad everyone couldn’t carry that attitude through for the rest of the year. Those who are unfortunate and don’t have much during the holidays, don’t magically get any richer in January.

 

The money collected by the Salvation Army bell ringers runs out eventually. People who use the food shelf still get hungry once Christmas is over.

 

So instead of thinking of Christmas as the time to give to others, try being generous throughout the year.

 

You’d be surprised how good it will make you feel.

 

Happy Holidays!