Recently, I’ve been hearing all kinds of advertisements for Valentine’s Day gifts. They all say something like, “Give your girlfriend or wife this <whatever the ad is selling>, and you’ll have a great Valentine’s Day because you’re going to like the way she shows her appreciation.”

Is Valentine’s Day only about romantic love? Why can’t we express our love to family and friends?

Even if the day is only about romantic love, why are girlfriends and wives the only ones to receive gifts on this special day about love? Shouldn’t women let their boyfriends and husbands know how much they love them?

Is a gift of love supposed to be given to receive something in return? Shouldn’t we give gifts to show our love without consideration for how much the recipient will appreciate the gift and show that appreciation?

I don’t expect my husband to send me roses or chocolates or cuddly toys—or anything else. I don’t measure love by material gifts. Just hearing “I love you” (which I do several times a day every day) is the only valentine I need.

I’ll send my husband a mushy e-card and tell him privately and publicly here on my blog, “I love you!”

And I’ll tell you, my readers, that I love having you as part of my blog family. I appreciate your comments, and even if you don’t comment, I appreciate your reading my words. Today, I’ll say, “Thank you! Happy Valentine’s Day!”

photo credit: LoneGunMan

Jesus is the reason for the season. Christmas is celebrating the coming of Christ to earth as a tiny babe in a manger to give us all eternal life. That should always be our focus.

However, gift-giving has long been part of our Christmas traditions. The Wise Men worshipped and gave gifts to the Christ Child. The tradition of Santa Claus came from Saint Nicholas, a bishop known for giving gifts to the poor.

Giving gifts to family and friends is a way to show our love for them. Our gifts don’t have to be lavish or expensive. In fact, the best gifts are often simple and inexpensive.

• Coupons that can be redeemed for babysitting, shopping, running errands, or other chores can be a real treat for a busy mom, an individual with limitations that make those chores difficult, or anyone who enjoys being pampered.
• Volunteering together to help with a charity toy drive or a party for disadvantaged children can create special Christmas memories for everyone involved.
• Recipients cherish handmade gifts and value the time and effort the giver puts into creating the gift.
• When you buy gifts, choose them to match the recipient’s interests, even if the cost is low and the gift isn’t a typical choice. The purpose isn’t to impress people with how much money you spend or how glamorous the gift is. The purpose is to show your love and give pleasure to someone you care about.

Of course, I may be just a tad biased, but I can’t think of a better gift than a book. Choosing a title and genre that appeals to the reader on your list demonstrates that you pay attention to their interests. For suggestions on great books (she said modestly), visit these pages of my Web site:

• My books—books I’ve written
• My clients’ books—books I’ve edited for clients
• My guests’ books—books I’ve reviewed or by authors I’ve interviewed

If you don’t find the perfect book there, you can also find information about great books at the following sites:

• Books We Love—promotional site for authors of books is all genres and formats, with a contest going on now
• Goodreads—reader community with reviews and ratings from readers
• Nothing Binding—site featuring independent authors of books in all genres
• Book Hitch—search engine for books of all kinds

You can find equally wonderful gifts for people on your list with interests other than reading. What does he love to do? What is her favorite indulgence? What would smiles on their faces? When you can answer those questions, gift-giving is made easy.

Don’t forget to download my gift to you: Scripture/prayer cards that have a Bible verse on one side and a prayer on the other. You can download a PDF file and print the cards on your own computer printer. Reading one of the cards can create a brief moment of devotion in a busy day.

Wishing you a blessed and joyous Christmas!

photo credit: wolfsavard

You may also want to give a gift that will give the recipient the power to change lives. A gift certificate from Kiva.org provides the funds for the recipient to make a loan to an entrepreneur in the developing world. An entrepreneur in the developed world might need a loan of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to start or expand a business. An entrepreneur in a developing country may need less than a hundred dollars to start or grow a business that will lift them out of poverty. The recipient of your gift certificate can make a life-changing loan to the entrepreneur of their choice, and when that loan is repaid, use the funds to make another loan. The cycle can be repeated endlessly, making your gift of $25 or $100 priceless. I made my first Kiva loan as part of Blog Action Day: Poverty.

Another good idea: Charity Checks. You can order giving certificates that can be used to donate to any IRS-qualified charity in the US, and there are 800,000 qualified charities. You purchase the certificate and get the tax deduction. You give the certificate as a gift, and the recipient then determines what charity to donate to. Unlike donating to a specific charity in someone else’s name, with Charity Checks, you know the recipient will be happy with the charity that receives the gift.

Comment added after reading Karen Swim’s post Santa Cause or the Grinch who Stole your Present?: I would recommend a charitable donation as a gift only to people close to you who you know would be happy with this. We do this in my family, but I would never suggest a business do this for a client nor would I do it to someone with whom I hadn’t discussed the idea in advance. I wasn’t clear enough and hadn’t thought through the implications until Karen brought them to my attention. Now back to the original post …

This is the time of year to give beyond our immediate circle. The Salvation Army’s red kettles are a symbol of the spirit of Christmas giving as well as an important means of raising funds to help those in need. I don’t go out to the malls and stores to shop so I miss the chance to drop something into a bright red kettle manned by a smiling bellringer. This year, I decided to be an online bellringer.

Thanks to Jon Swanson at Levite Chronicles for the inspiration. I didn’t know that I could be a bellringer for my own Online Red Kettle. If you do your Christmas shopping online, you can drop something into an online kettle and help the Salvation Army brighten the lives of those who need help this year.

Christmas celebrates the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave the ultimate gift of His life for our salvation. We can share a little of His love by our own giving to our loved ones and people we don’t know. May you enjoy a blessed season of peace on earth, goodwill toward men.