Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Understanding the Essence of Christmas

In an old Peanuts cartoon, Lucy approaches Charlie Brown with a large piece of paper in hand. She tells him: “This is my `git’ list, Charlie Brown.” While Charlie looks on in amazement, Lucy explains: “These are all the things I figure I’gonna `git’ for Christmas from my two grampas and two grammas, and eight uncles and aunts!” But, logically, Charles inquires: “Where is your `give’ list?” Lucy, taken aback, replies: “My what?” While Lucy looks on uncomprehendingly, Charlie walks away in disgust saying, “I knew it!”

This sequence, of course, fits in perfectly with the self-centered character of the delightful Lucy. Her thing is “gitting,” not “giving.” We have all heard of St. Paul’s passage where he says that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Not necessarily excluding ourselves, we encounter friends or relatives who are primarily takers, not givers. Aristotle said that everybody loves those who are generous with their wealth, the “givers,” in other words.

The primary analogate for Christmas is the birth of Christ. We see the eventual arrival of the wise men who bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Behind the scenes is Christ himself, the very understanding of whom requires a reflection on giftedness, on something offered not in justice, but in generosity.

Some people think that everything that they give to someone else is something taken away from themselves. With such a presupposition, everything and everybody are on edge. Generosity is almost impossible. Everyone is at war with everyone else.

The world, however, should not be marked by parsimoniousness. Its origin lies in gift and abundance. Real wealth in the world is not some deposit of materials, be they oil, coal or gold. The world’s ultimate wealth is found in the human mind as it thinks about what is out there that is not of its own making.

When we think of giving, we must start with loving. Properly speaking, to love means to wish not for one’s own good but for the good of the person who is loved. There is always a certain selflessness about it. It is true that we long for reciprocity, but that too is a gift that we cannot demand.

If we look at St. Paul’s famous dictum about its being “better to give than to receive,” we can surely understand his point that giving seems more selfless than receiving. Yet I have often thought, thanks to a professor I once had here at Georgetown, that in many ways, receiving is more indicative of our character than giving.

As we approach Christmas and recall our childhood memories, we have little difficulty in understanding Lucy’s “git” list. Christmas was a time in which we were given things. We anticipated it. What seemed so extraordinary about Christmas was the un-necessity of it all. Christmas was not really the time to be given something we needed but precisely something that we did not need or expect. We found something abundant about it, something almost playful, intended not for need but for delight.

A proud man may give gifts, but it takes a rather humble man to receive them. In this sense, the ability to graciously receive gifts is much more revealing of our souls than our giving things. The man to whom nothing can be given, it strikes me, is isolated. I do not mean here that a rich man may not need anything. Quite the opposite, a gift is really, at the heart of it, not constituted primarily by what is given but by its symbol or meaning. The gift stands in the giver’s stead.

The fact that the birth of Christ is primarily associated with an unexpected gift – the Christ child himself – reminds us of the fact that all children are not the products of economic or scientific enterprises. They are gifts. Parents do not somehow manufacture their children. Children come as an overflow of a mutual love, not as a planned production. Parents too meet their children for the first time when they are born. Their children too are given. The parents are the first receivers of gifts, in this case of the most precious of all gifts given to mankind.

So what do we “git” for Christmas? Not just presents, but indications that we are loved. We read in Scripture that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” This is why, I think, the great mystery of Christmas is not so much that we are given so much, but in how we receive it. We do not have control over what we are given. We do reveal our souls in how we receive it.

Fr. James Schall, S.J., is a professor of government. He can be reached at schalljgeorgetown.edu. AS THIS JESUIT SEES IT. appears every other Tuesday, with Fr. Schall, Fr. Maher and Fr. O’Brien alternating as writers.

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    Donn DuffApr 27, 2015 at 6:33 am

    Giving gifts on a very special like Christmas is surely the best way of expressing your affection to someone especially the kids. A good gift ideas for kids would be doll houses. Think of it, whether if it’s a girl or boy, wouldn’t you want them to see that they are happily playing with a little house? By the way, doll houses are very popular as toys for children. As they’re fun to decorate, it’s not only kids who are fond of playing with their wooden dolls house! Even adults purchase these toy houses as part of their miniature collection! Trust me, I have one too at my house. With numerous colourful and stylish doll house furniture items, it can’t be that hard to pick which of which will match your house now can it?

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