A Voice Crying in the Wilderness Pt. 3

Joining In
When I began earning money, I set a little aside to buy presents for my parents and siblings. As a young adult, I earned more money but had few responsibilities; my gifts became more extravagant. I enjoyed giving people things they couldn’t afford on their own, but as my younger siblings followed suit, I worried that gift-giving would get out of hand. Gifts were not only becoming more expensive, but I was beginning to feel they were expected. I wanted to make sure gifts were affordable and voluntary, so one year I opted out. I told everyone well in advance that I was not planning to give any gifts that year, and I was not expecting any. Some people nicknamed me “Scrooge” and gave me more expensive gifts to shame me. I enjoyed the celebration, but the emphasis seemed wrong, and I didn’t know how to change it.