Forever I have stressed my brain to find the absolutely perfect gift for everyone and then stressed the budget to pay for it. I always wanted to get something that everyone would not only love, but use. Usually something they had mentioned wanting.
Last year I was especially stressed because I was buying for my new in-laws who I hardly knew.
When I prayed about it I thought about the tradition of gift giving which comes from the first Christmas when the kings brought gifts of gold, incense and myrhh to the baby Jesus. What baby cares about gold? And Incense and myrhh are embalming scents. What baby would ever want embalming scents?
Of course the best of the tradition celebrates the greatest gift of all, God's gift of His son. But who would really want a crying,squirming baby in their Christmas sock?
They say giving is for the giver. Well, I decided to follow that concept. Now I buy people things that I like and want them to have. I get a more joy from it and I think they do too. It's not near the stress.
smile