The Best Gifts Are Free!

Another holiday season is upon us, and, as in years past, most of us will soon be scrambling for gifts for our loved ones. Of course, we all promised to not spend too much, given that we are still feeling the pinch of the recent economic crunch. Yet, despite our best intentions, even though we can’t really afford it, we will no doubt indulge our consumeristic compulsions. Amidst the hype, the noise and the frenzy, we somehow manage to forget that the very best gifts are free. Of course, you know this to be true, yet perhaps a little reminding will help.

GIVE OF YOUR TIME

Volunteering in the community is one of the oldest and most cherished of gifts, even more so in times of financial difficulty such as the present. It’s easy to find an organization in need of volunteers at this time of year. There are fundraisers of all sorts, soup kitchens where dinners will be served to the homeless, and Christmas baskets to be packaged and delivered to those in need. There is even Operation Nez Rouge, a group of volunteer drivers ensuring that those who have partied too hard will get home safely.

WALK WITH SOMEONE

In every town, every neighbourhood, or perhaps in your family, there are those people who will spend the holidays alone again this year. Setting a little time aside to read, talk, or walk with them, or simply listen to their stories, can make all the difference between feeling the desperation of solitude and the joy of being remembered and included in someone’s life.

BE KIND

Perhaps you are short on time, and cannot join a volunteer organization this year. A very simple gift to make is the gift of kindness. Be mindful of your thoughts, and, before lashing out in judgment, criticism, anger, or other negative exchange, pause for a moment, and make a different choice. Offer the gift of kindness instead. In return, you will feel light, and loving, perhaps even loved.

GIVE A HUG

On countless occasions, I have heard people tell how difficult it is for them to hug a family member. In truth, instead of toys and gadgets, what your children really need is a hug, lots of hugs. Their seeming need for things is nothing more than a shabby substitute for the feeling of wholeness that can only come when love is expressed. Hug your loved ones this holiday season; hey, hug a stranger!

SHARE A SMILE

If a hug threatens your comfort level, try a smile. You’d be surprised at how much punch a flash of white can carry! A smile can uplift the downtrodden, disarm the angered, and melt a cold heart. So simple, yet so powerful!

RELINQUISH AN ANCIENT GRIEVANCE

A very simple, though not necessarily easy gift to make, is the gift of forgiveness. Rare is the person who does not have someone in their life against whom they hold a grievance. Just think about that most ancient hurt, the one you find impossible to relinquish, the one that sticks like a chunk of gravel in your heart. That’s the one you need to relinquish.

FORGIVE YOURSELF

Another great gift is to forgive yourself for whatever you believe to be amiss in your life. Let it go; know that you are whole, and wholly forgiven. In turn, you will be healed, and a healed you will be the best gift you can give your loved ones.

CHOOSE PEACE

We all say that we want peace, yet, our choices do not reflect that wish. We like to be right, we defend our positions and we attack when we feel threatened. Yet, none of that needs to be. Give up the need to be right, to attack, to defend. Avoid conflict and give the priceless and most cherished gift of all: choose peace.

Pauline Edward is an astrologer-numerologist, speaker and author of Making Peace with God and The Power of Time. She is from Montreal, Canada. You can visit her site here, www.PaulineEdward.com