Christmas is about trees, yards, houses and stores decorated with millions of colored lights; Christmas music; parties at work; people hustling through the mall; and family gatherings.

During the Christmas season there's a strong focus on children, the family, good will and generosity, and lots of good times. And, Christmas is the giving of gifts.

Perhaps, you've wondered where this all came from, this annual obsession of heaping gifts, this frantic tearing away of multi-colored wrapping paper. On the nightly news, economic experts report on how good the Christmas season is for businesses compared to last year.

Did you ever wonder what it is that drives this giving binge? Is it merely custom or tradition? Do we give out of some sort of obligation? Is it, at least in some cases, sympathy or pity?

It seems impossible to think of Christmas without thinking about the giving and receiving of gifts. Have you ever heard someone say, "We're broke this year, so we won't be able to have Christmas"?

Sometimes people forget that Christmas is also about Love, Joy, and Peace. Christmas gifts are born of Love, or at least they should be. Gifts give others Joy, or at least I hope they do. But, do they give us Peace? I certainly hope so.

All of us enjoy how happy others appear when they open their Christmas gifts, we especially enjoy the young ones. So, where did this Christmas gift giving come from?

There are several historical precedents to gift giving. For people who are of a Christian faith, the tradition is believed to have begun with the Magi who brought gifts to the newborn "King" as they presented him with gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. The Jewish holiday of Hanukah also has a practice of gift giving, as do other faiths.

A new practice that some people are following is taking the money normally spent on "obligatory" gifts which often have little meaning, and giving the money to charities.

As we consider our individual place in the world and regardless of our faith, consider what Christians learn from the Bible—that the Christmas season is based on Love, Joy, and Peace. And, that the greatest one of these is Love. It=s another lesson learned.

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