CYNTHIA CARTER: Love is the best gift at Christmas

Happy holidays to all.

The true meaning of our holidays is the birth of Christ. Over the years, it has become so commercial that the joyful spirit is gone. People are spending money they don’t have.

What happened to the dinners and family gatherings? There are probably still a few families enjoying the old-fashioned way of celebrating the holidays, but there are so many of us who are guilty of big spending.

We buy gifts for people, giving them things they really don’t need. Now, they have gift cards so a person can buy whatever they want. That may be good for younger people who like to choose their own gifts, but some older people are just happy to be living and don’t mind if they receive a gift or not. But there are exceptions.

We still have people who like gifts. If you don’t know what to buy, or maybe you’re a person who doesn’t like to shop — going in and out of stores just isn’t your thing — I truly understand. I am like that. Money is the answer. Everybody’s happy to receive money, especially the kids. Give it to them and watch their faces light up like a Christmas tree. It’s not the amount that matters, but the thought of giving.

Years ago, people seemed to be excited about the holidays approaching. Now, because it’s so commercial, some people dread them. Others act as if it’s just another day. We should, however, feel it is time to celebrate, starting with the birth of Christ. The greatest gift to celebrate should be love. Love costs nothing and is freely given. If everyone could give love, this would be a better world. We can’t change the world, but we can change ourselves, causing the world to change.

Some people are sad when the holidays come because of their lives changing so much, in most cases for the worse. If they would look at their situation in a positive way, they would see positive things instead of negative ones. It’s not what happens, it’s how you view your situation. No matter what happens, you should try to see the brighter side.

There are so many things you can do. I was telling a friend that I visit in the nursing home on Tuesdays and go some Thursdays to the children’s day care as a volunteer. I could not believe she said I must be bored to do that. I was not bored. I was passionate about what I was doing.

Babies and old folks have something in common: They’re just happy when you pay them some attention. On Tuesdays at the nursing home, they play bingo. I sit with those who need help finding the numbers. On a recent Tuesday, one of my ladies who I was helping had black-out, covering the whole board. She was so happy! To be a part of someone else’s happiness makes you feel good. It’s the little things that matter.

Children are the same way. They just want your attention. To my understanding, boredom comes from doing nothing. Whenever you do something for someone else from your heart, it’s a blessing. Think about this: It could be you in the nursing home instead of you visiting as a volunteer. Also, everybody in the nursing home is not old. Visit some time and you will see how blessed you are.

So, during the holidays if you have time to visit a nursing home, bring a little gift that would make someone very happy. You don’t have to be a relative to show love. I remember some of the ladies would be so happy to see me. It made me feel good just to see a smile on on their faces.

Blessing someone is a blessing to you. Love is the greatest gift you have.

Again, happy holidays.

Ask Grandma is a weekly column written by Cynthia Carter. If you have a question to Ask Grandma, email it to [email protected] and include “Ask Grandma” in the subject line. You also can mail questions to Ask Grandma, c/o The Albany Herald, P.O. Box 48, Albany, GA 31702. Phone-in questions can be left on our Bright Side comment line, (229) 888-9351.