It's All About Christmas







Mother and childA Song about Christmas Shoes

As I do a research about gift and giving, i found an article which is very interesting and touching, and I Think it will be great if I share it here.

The source is from Linda's Blog and this is the story.

Christmas shoes

I've been obsessed with listening to the Holiday Pop station on MSN radio. No, it's not all about Britney Spears and Destiny's Child belting out their own versions of Silent Night. The station has a wide range of music, from pop to vocal to r&b to rock to country to traditional. They are also good about not playing the same song in the same sitting.
Anyhow, this song called "Christmas Shoes" by NewSong came on and the lyrics made me smile. It reminded me of a situation I came across when I used to work as a sales associate at a women's department store back in high school. It was December and our store was always busy due to the Christmas rush. While I was managing the fitting rooms, a mother and her 3-year old daughter came in to try on some shoes.
Mother: "These shoes don't fit right. And these are nice, but they are too expensive."
Daughter: "Why do you need to get new shoes, Mommy?"
"Because my shoes are old and starting to get holes in them. I like these shoes but I don't think I will get them. They're too expensive."
"Mommy, my shoes are new! I like my shoes."
"Yes, dear. I am glad you like them."
After a pause, the three-year-old says, "Mommy. You don't have to spend money! You can have my new shoes."

I thought that was the cutest thing in the world. The girl was so young and only spoke simple english. My heart simply melted.
Anyhow, here are the lyrics to "Christmas Shoes":
***************************************************************
Newsong 
The Christmas Shoes
It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line
Tryin' to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing 'round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes

His clothes were worn and old, he was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say

Chorus:
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here"
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me
He said Mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without
Tell me Sir, what am I going to do,
Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes

So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out
I'll never forget the look on his face when he said
Mama's gonna look so great

Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

Bridge:
I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about
******************************************************
I love Christmas songs. I just get really nostalgic and a little sad. I can't wait for the Christmas festivities. Yay! 


[Detail of 'Progress of Civilization,' east pediment oYes, very touching and enlightening experiences. For some of us, buy a high price gadget or gift for our beloved is a common, but out there a lot of people just can not afford just for a "cheap" things. Be graceful for what we have today, still a lot of people not so lucky as we are.

By the way, i'm trying to comment for the permit on the source site and can not comment, if the owner of this article read this and not allowing, please inform me, and i will delete this post.

It is nice to share something great.



Gifts At The Beginning

History of Gift and Giving Gift.

First of all, before we talk more about the gift, first we have to know what the mean of gift, A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of payment. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to social cohesion. Economists have elaborated the economics of gift-giving into the notion of a gift economy. By extension the term gift can refer to anything that makes the other happier or less sad, especially as a favor, including forgiveness and kindness.

So it is about giving something for someone else, which is without expecting for any or some in return. In the past, we know that give a gift has become a fundamental activity of human societal life for centuries. We know that in antiquity the tribal leaders gave each other a gift just for peace, protection, food or only to maintain the status quo.

Ancient Rome was one of the first with a gift at time time to time. people could exchange gifts at a ceremony which took place during the winter solstice, which took place on the first day of January. Which expresses the compassion, the fraternity at the celebration. Start with just a little and simple gifts and continue to evolve over time. The gift that is given in the form of coins for the harbinger of prosperity, called strenae, the lights in order to facilitate the journey through life, pastries for happiness, and nothing else. More in the former, they were in ancient Egypt they were exchanged vials, ancient Persians, they were exchanged eggs (fertility symbol), Celtic druids made gifts from holy plant (mistletoe).
 
But the tradition may even more goes to the Babylonians, they believe when the reincarnation of Nimrod as his own son, who to his wife, Semiramis, at the time of the Winter Solstice (was born at the end of December).This event was held in honor by the hack and the decorations (in Roman tradition they use decorated fir-tree). And by AD324 the habit of Saturnalia was ingrained in the culture and the new Christian Emperor, Constantine, needed to satisfy his new religion and the masses. Which he Saturnalia converted into Christmas. Christian beliefs on donations for the Magi brought gifts to the baby Jesus. So in Christmas gift-giving time became a symbol of the birth of Christ.

    Gifts on birthdays and special occasions (i.e. marriage) happened centuries ago. There is a text confirming that at about 6 C BCE (Greece poet Aeschylus wrote about giving gifts to children on their birthday).

So we know that Gifts already there for a long time, and why just don’t we starting to make a gift for someone who we care, and make them  happy. Just give a little gift and make everyone happy. It is that said “To GIVING is much more better than to RECEIVING from someone”