The Reason for Gift Giving

Gonzalez Christmas 1971
(NOT the worst)

This afternoon I was running around getting ready to leave for a three day retreat and I happened to catch the More to Life radio program on Ave Maria radio. They were doing a segment on best, worst and most thoughtful gifts received and given.

They began their segment by reminding their listeners that we give gifts as a reminder of the greatest GIFT ever given - Jesus Christ our LORD and Savior.

I couldn't remember a worst gift received, but I do remember the year my brother Demetrio and I found all the gifts our parents had hidden. One by one, we carefully opened or sliced the packages to see what was inside. We carefully placed all the packaging, wrapping back and put them exactly where we found them. Christmas morning came and we knew every gift we were receiving and we superbly disappointed. We had robbed ourselves of the joy of opening the gifts for the first time with our parents and being surprised.

The worst gifts I ever gave were pictures I'd cut out if magazines of things I told my family I would get them later. I has gotten the idea from The Walton's movie. While my intentions were good, I never quite followed through on the promise. My brothers, whose Christmas tradition is pranking each other, still give me a hard time. One of them gave me a cut out picture that was wrapped in a box.

Some of the best and most thoughtful gifts I've gotten over the years have been from my students. Most of them come from modest means, but they seem to always put great thought into the gifts. One year, a student gave me a box of strawberry Pop-Tarts wrapped in the Sunday comic strip pages.

What are some of the best, worst or most thoughtful gifts you've received.