Tag: Christmas

What is Next on Your List?

Lists…this is the time of year for lists.

Wish lists…Children writing Christmas lists can often be fun and imagesenlightening. My adult children live in different states, but they still exchange Christmas presents with my help. I draw the names and text each child the person they are to buy for. Then they text/email me their wish lists and I forward it on to the person who has their name.

To-do lists…One way I survive the busyness of the Christmas season is to make to-do lists…for shopping…cleaning…baking, making and wrapping. I have found I accomplish more when I make the lists, because I want get all the items checked off.

As I was completing the next item on my to-do list, I began thinking about Jesus. If He had made a to-do list during His life on earth what would He have had on it?

It might have looked like this…

  1. Glorify the Father; accomplish the work which He had given Me to do (John 17:4)
  2. Make known God’s name and His word to those He has given Me. (John 17:6-8)
  3. Watch over/guard the people God’s has given Me (John 17:12)

Excuse me, while I rewrite my to-do list…

Gifting Personality

What is your gift giving personality?  I never thought about that before, until I read an article, recently.  It seems researchers have identified 5 gift giving personalities.  Christmas-Present3

1. Procrastinators.  People  who puts off shopping until the last minute, because they are worried buying the wrong gift.

2. Planners.  People who shops all year long with list in hand and gifts stuffed in the closet.  The danger is that they will forget where they hid the gifts!

3. Practical Givers.  These people usually get their checkbooks, because they believe you can’t go wrong with money.  Or they give a gift they want the recipient to have not necessarily one he/she would like.

4.  Do-Gooders.  These people give to the charity of their choice in recipeint’s name.

5.  Perfect Gift-Givers.  They aim to find something the recipient would like, even if they don’t really like it.  Of course one would have to know the recipient really well to find that perfect gift, or ask them for a list.

I would say I have been a mix of all five.  I definitely procrastinate buying for some people I am not sure what to get.  I have been a planner in the past, especially when my children were little and I had very little shopping time without them.  I am a practical giver, when I know $$ would be appreciated.  I have bought soccer balls and bibles in someone’s name, so I guess that would make me a do-gooder.  I would love to be considered a perfect gift-giver, but I won’t lose sleep if you don’t really like my gift and regift it.  It is the thought that matters…right?

How about you which gift giving personality do you have?  Leave a comment to let us know.

In the next post I will discuss lessons I have learned about giving from the Father of Christmas…

for more about this article go to: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/holiday/story/2011-11-27/gift-giving-personalities