#UnWrapChristmas-The Spirit of Gifting

Christmas time!! Yayy!! I await this festival with unabated joy and enthusiasm. 
Whew, so much plotting, planning and shopping to do! 
I've been playing Santa to my kids for ages. They obviously know now who their Santa is but that doesn't diminish the glee with which they pounce on the surprise gifts piled under the tree on Christmas morning. 

They've stopped writing letters to Santa citing their wish-lists. How this Santa misses those scrawls of secret wishes! Innocent and earnest pleas convincing Santa that they've been good all through the year!

What makes this festival so special to me I wonder, especially considering I am not a Christian or a church-goer! 

Thanks dear Anamika for passing on the #UnWrapChristmas baton to me. 
This post gives me a chance to introspect on what Christmas means to me and why I love it so much.

Much of the Christmas fever I have inherited from being schooled in convents. Hymns, choirs and carols sung all through my childhood school Christmases still remain etched in memory. However, we never celebrated it at home.

When I had my own family and my kids were old enough to understand celebrations and gifts, I decided to live out my childhood fantasy of having my own Christmas celebration, a small one, nothing fancy. 

I remember the first time, I visited local shops and purchased a scrawny artificial tree, some Christmas ornaments and streamers to deck the tree. Once the tree and the lights were up, I was jumping for joy, maybe more than the kids! I had carefully scoured the markets for Christmas presents suitable for the kids and yet something they never expected! My little angels hung up their stockings and kept a glass of milk and a dish of cookies for Santa. And lo behold! The next morning the glass and dish were empty, the stockings stuffed! 
The ecstasy on their tiny faces has prompted this Santa on for years!

And thus started my love affair with this wondrous festival.  
As the years have passed, our collection of Christmas ornaments has gone up and we've even managed to upscale the tree to a less scrawny one. The first sight of the Christmas tree decked and lighted up still thrills me! Gifts-wise, it's getting harder to surprise the kids but still I try!

So is my Christmas an excuse to deck up the house, practice my art and craft skills and indulge in retail therapy? Well, partly yes and why not! Its such a lovely way to spend one's time and it has such fulfilling results! And I've always been a fan of all things pretty!

The other part is the spirit of gifting. I always ensure my gifts aren't too expensive, but really relevant to the child's needs and at the same time they will be those gifts with a dash of childish fantasy. Like on one Christmas I gifted my girl a nail-art set; pretty inexpensive but the delight on her face when she opened it was priceless. Or the time I gifted my impish son a bottle of 'play-slime' that only little boys can love. The youngster couldn't have been happier if Santa had gifted him a remote operated robot!

 

Every year, I try to widen the spirit of gifting by including some under-privileged person in my gifting list. Small tokens of love show you care and go miles in spreading happiness in the lives of those deprived of little joys. 
You could do your bit to brighten the smiles of some under-priviledged children by contributing to a charitable institution called DIVYA DISHA 

Nothing can rival the sight of surprise and unmitigated delight on someone's face on receiving a gift, and this I believe dear folks is the biggest draw Christmas has for me!
 
So you see, my Christmas is not the traditional one, it's kind of like a customized one, catering to my requirements and abilities. It's nothing big or fancy; it's just a small celebration that lights up my life and those around me.
This festive season I beckon you all to enjoy the fervor and share the merriment with your loved ones. Do try spreading some warmth, cheer and kindness to people less fortunate. The rewards, I guarantee will be bountiful and blessed!

To all you lovely folks out there, here's

Image Source

Also linking this post to @Blogchatter's Wednesday Prompt: Gifts
 
I now invite Apoorva Kapoor to carry forth the spirit of Christmas.

You can read posts by other bloggers linking up on the #UnWrapChristmas flash blogging event.

   

1. Making Christmas Meaningful #UnwrapChristmas

2. #UnwrapChristmas - Sushmita Malakar Blog

3. #UnwrapChristmas Doing a Little Something Extra -

4. A Demanding Gift Receiver Speaks #UnwrapChristmas

5. Flavours of Christmas #UnwrapChristmas – the bespectacled mother

6. Relax-N-Rave: #UnWrapChristmas-The Spirit of Gifting

7. Where the Mind is Without Fear: Rekindle the Santa Dream

8. Be a Santa Everyday #UnwrapChristmas,Bloglovin,Email,Facebook,Google ,Instagram,Pinterest,StumbleUpo

9. #Unwrapping Christmas With The Year That Went By | Words & Me

10. #UnWrapChristmas With Dreams

11. Magic Moments: Christmas Has Changed Its Meaning Over The Years... #UnWrapChristmas

12. #UnwrapChristmas : Lessons from Christmas – Reem Writes…

13. #UnWrapChristmas: Turning the spotlight on the spirit of the season | Modern Gypsy

14. Unwrap Christmas | Season of Giving - Ishithaa

15. #UNWRAPCHRISTMAS By Spreading Happiness and Love. – The Shaded Shadows 2.0

16. Let's #UnwrapChristmas with the joy of giving - happiness and food

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