TJ Hirst

“Now it feels like Christmas.”

Baking with me in the kitchen brought these sentiments to mind and out of the mouth of my teenage daughter. She listed the multitude of little expectations that set the mood for the holidays, and she checked off nearly every one.

“After I left home,” I said, “I planned a list of ‘have to’s’ for it to feel like Christmas. But, I learned that what made it feel like Christmas in the family I grew up in was different for the family I was creating.”

For years I busied myself with my own requirements for a perfect Christmas—the right scent,  food, activities and traditions. Ironically, whatever I gave in love to my children created the Christmas feeling for them.

Now, I’ve let go of many expectations from my childhood Christmas memories, especially in the kitchen. Instead, I asked my children what treat or snack they wanted for the holidays and invited them to make them with me. We spent a morning this week together cooking and baking Muddy Buddies, Chex Mix, a cheese ball, cookie truffles and covered pretzels.

All those years of baking alone in the kitchen to meet imaginary expectations never filled my desire. What I really wanted was the feeling of working together that I had shared in the kitchen with my large family at Christmas, not the food itself. This year collaboration created joy, not stress.

Ryan at Oktober5 gave me a gift for Christmas—he’s guest posting today so I would have at least one thing to be grateful for.  He’s giving with a goal to give 100 squares for Christmas. Today you can read his witty and insightful style here, but at Oktober 5 you can see more writing, photographs and design. Visit him here and there, and shower him with comments so he might come back again. - TJ

Santa Claus is coming to town, and that can only mean one of two things. One, you’ve been naughty and you’re going to get nothing but coal; or two, you’ve been good and you’re going to get exactly what you deserve.

It’s a nice feeling to get a gift that we really deserve. Michael Phelps received 8 Olympic gold medals, and most would say he  deserved them. He seemed to feel happy about it, and for good reason, too–he worked hard for them.

Christmas is a wonderfully fantastic season. Kids work hard all year trying to be as good as possible so as to not taint their Christmas morning hopes. Adults, especially parents, adopt a different perspective. We like to give. It is more work than getting, but the reward is sure and guaranteed to be deserved. We work in order to give, and in giving discover a renewed sense of spirit, self-worth, gratitude and joy.

Giving feels good. This year I decided to create a 100 Squares for Christmas wall. The idea was that people could ask for a gift, be it something small like a link to their page, or something large like a guest post. That was only half the idea; the other half was that I would feel exceptionally good about myself. I wanted my 8 gold medals, my well-deserved feeling of joy for doing my part to give whatever I had to give.

My expectation for this project was simply this: That a hundred people if not more would sign up, I would fulfill their simple need, they’d be happy, I’d be happy, and somewhere in the process I would become unbelievably famous and wealthy.

If you haven’t already learned this lesson, however, you need to know that giving is not about recognition or monetary gain. Giving is about love. Remember that guaranteed reward from giving that I mentioned? Well, it’s only guaranteed if done in love.

When I started this project, I expected a showering of love from the heavens for being so generous. I was wrong. Love doesn’t come from giving; giving comes from love. We show love by giving, and love shown in sincerity is rewarded.

My reward came only as I saw the love in what I was doing. The response I got from my idea was completely positive. Some were even envious and created similar walls of their own. I gained my reward when I could see that what I was doing was helping others feel a similar sense of the Christmas spirit. As Abraham Lincoln said, “When I do good, I feel good.”

Not as many people as I had hoped signed up for a square. Even fewer asked for anything more than a link. However, I received exactly what I deserved, which happened to also be the thing I wanted: happiness.

Since Sunday I’ve learned to blow snow in the middle of a snowstorm and shovel during a wind chill advisory. I’m ready for a lull so I can stay inside by the fire and just look at it. My Giveaway: Anyone who wants to come to Minnesota can have all the snow you can carry home from my yard. You, too, can enjoy a white Christmas. Just leave a comment and tell me how much you want.

He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift on behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth. . . He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
The Living Christ, The Testimony of the Apostles

I considered a cross for my Living Christ Christmas tree to exemplify the Lord’s ultimate sacrifice, but I liked the more subtle meaning in this red gift box. His atoning blood is a gift to me. And alongside this gift is my symbolic remembrance of his resurrection. I tied together the closest thing I could find to barley sheaves as the “firstfruits.”

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My entry is also part of my photographic holiday series of My Living Christ Christmas Tree.

View other photography participants at Wordless Wednesday or 5 Minutes For Mom.

His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill . . . He is the light, the life and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.
The Living Christ, The Testimony of the Apostles

Since music fills me with joy and happiness, I chose to wrap my Living Christ Christmas Tree in music-note garland. The silver dove ornaments and lights reflect the peace and light I feel at Christmas when we celebrate His birth and life.

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My entry is also part of my photographic holiday series of My Living Christ Christmas Tree.

View other photography participants at Wordless Wednesday or 5 Minutes For Mom.

Find other Christmas traditions centered around Jesus Christ at Christ-Centered Christmas.