thankful thursday - gifts

When I was a small child, Christmas was all about the gifts... for me. And I wanted "things"... like a ViewMaster slide projector, a new bike or roller skates (the kind with a key!).

I think most kids are like that.

But somewhere along the way to adulthood, I came to appreciate the gifts of Christmas that aren't "things" I can unwrap and hold in my hand. Things I don't have to wait until Christmas morning to have. Things like:

1. Frost on the ground and a chill in the air  - In Arizona there is no guarantee that it won't be warm on Christmas Day but sometime in December we almost always have a "cold spell" where the temperatures dip down into the 30's or 40's with highs in the 50's or 60's. I can hear you people from Minnesota snickering but that's pretty chilly for  the Valley of the Sun. And I relish it!
2. Vehicles accessorized for Christmas - We have all seen them. Cars and trucks with reindeer antlers made out of plastic attached to the roof with a big red nose above the front bumper. Or battery-operated Christmas lights adorning nearly every part of the vehicle - wheels or windows or the outline of the car. We may think they look cheesy but they always make me smile.
3. Shoppers and clerks who are friendlier, smiling and making small talk - It seems that lines are longer everywhere from Thanksgiving to Christmas, not just at mall. But I've noticed that people, both clerks and customers, are a little friendlier. They make eye contact and smile. Most will chat. I went to the post office to mail a package and the line was very long. The woman behind me and I began chatting and before I knew it, 45 minutes had passed and it was my turn at the window where the clerk greeted me with a smile. What a gift!
4. Hearing Christmas music in stores - Most stores play music all the time. Some of it is obnoxious to me and I avoid those stores. Others stores play music I enjoy but it can be distracting. But during the Christmas season, most stores play Christmas music including both secular songs like "Here Comes Santa Claus" and Christian hymns like "Away In a Manger." Some are festive and fun; others remind me what I'm celebrating.
5. God's love in sending us a Savior, the baby Jesus who was born on that first Christmas - I see reminders of Jesus everywhere at Christmastime... candy canes remind me of the shepherds, the first people told of Jesus' birth by the angel. And evergreen Christmas trees remind me of eternal life that Jesus promises to those who put their faith and trust in Him alone. Wreaths on doors remind me of the thorny crown Jesus wore on the cross when He died for our sins and Christmas lights remind me of the star shining bright over the stable where Jesus was born. Giving gifts reminds me of the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh the wise men brought to the baby Jesus.

I am thankful for all these things. Christmas gifts are everywhere... you just have to look for them.