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As a father at Christmas time there are two things that particularly fill me with joy – 1) Giving gifts to my children and seeing their joy over those gifts and 2) seeing my children give gifts to each other and express gratitude for those gifts.

Perhaps all parents love giving gifts to their children, especially when they are young. There is little in life more rewarding than seeing expressions of joy and wonder on the faces of children when receiving gifts. There is little more rewarding than spending time figuring out what gifts children will like. Christmas time in particular gives me a glimpse into how our Heavenly Father feels towards us. All the joy I receive in giving gifts to my children is a reflection of the joy He must feel as He gives us gifts. Do we recognize those gifts and express gratitude for them? How must He feel when we abuse or do not acknowledge the gifts we receive from Him?

Last night, so as not to have them lost in the shuffle of opening other presents, my wife and I had our children open the gifts they had for and from each other. My oldest daughter spent many hours making gifts for her siblings. She sewed by hand stuffed animals for her sister and brother, making their favorite animals. That was touching enough to see how much time she spent on the gifts (they turned out quite well and cute). Even better was seeing the reaction of my other daughter upon opening the present; she pulled it out, looked at it, gave it a hug and said, “I love it!” Seeing the joy and the gratitude on my younger daughter’s face for the gift that had been made with a lot of love and time and a little stuffing brought tears to my eyes. I thought about how much Heavenly Father must love seeing His children do kind things for each other and be touched when gratitude and joy are shown in response.

I thought of the Sermon on the Mount when Christ taught, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matt. 7:7-11).

Our Father wants to give us gifts and He does! He blesses us many times and in many ways we will never know in this life. This is one reason we are commanded to be grateful in all things. This Christmas season is a particular time of giving. May we we experience the joy and wonder that comes as give freely with love to those around us! May we express gratitude to those who give so much to us – parents, family, friends, strangers, and God.

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