The Best Gifts are Invisible

December 6, 2011

As the cold settles in for good and the snow begins to fall, the joyous hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins to settle in around Toronto. The Christmas songs are playing on every other radio station, and TV shows are airing their holiday specials. But with the holidays just around the corner, the inevitable stress of finding the perfect gift for everyone is impossible to deny. No matter what you celebrate, the pressure of finding that perfect little something for friends and family just won’t disappear. But the month’s festivities should result in 31 days of happiness, not frustration. The panic we all feel just doesn’t seem to fit with the joy of the holidays.

Unfortunately, I am not immune to the anxieties of ideal-gift-giving. In fact, I think I worry about it more than the average person. Recently, however, I started asking myself, what is classified as the perfect gift? Could it be the necklace my mom pointed out to me when we were shopping a few months ago, the delicate silk scarf my friend was pining over, or that basketball with the special grip my brother wanted so badly? As each day goes by, it seems increasingly ridiculous that it’s pre-expected materialistic objects that we classify as the perfect gift.

I think the best gifts we can give to one another aren’t physical objects. I find that it is the untouchable, invisible, priceless things in life that are the real gifts we give to one another that are the most meaningful of all. Loyalty. Honesty. Kindness. Empathy. Love. Forgiveness. Friendship. I would much rather have true friends and family by my side than a brand new iPad any day.

The truth is, you can’t go out and simply purchase the widely discussed “perfect gift.” What makes it perfect is that it comes from the heart. It shows how much you care. It demonstrates how you’ll go out of your way to make someone happy and will enjoy doing so because you love them. That is the point of giving. To see the glorious smile of a content face, the twinkle in the eye that says just how much it really means, and the warm and fuzzy feeling you get inside, proving your gift really was a success. This, to show our love for each other, is the reason to give presents during the holidays.