It is 9:00 AM on Christmas morning. There are piles of gifts nicely wrapped under your Christmas tree adorned with ornaments. You are so excited to see what is in the bright red box that catches your eye among all the gifts. Your parents tell you to wait for everyone, but instead of listening, you rush to open the present and see a sterling silver necklace with your name in cursive. It was the perfect gift. In another part of the world at the same time, a little girl sits in her bed gazing at the falling snow that appears outside her window. To the girl, this was the perfect gift. A few blocks down, a young boy walks with his mom to Church and receives a Star Wars Lego sent from their local charity. For that boy, this was the perfect gift. In another city, a mom is gifted with a portrait of herself drawn by her six-year-old son. This was the perfect gift for her. All of these gifts were “perfect” for each person but for different reasons. So the real question is what is the “perfect” gift?
Truly there is no real answer to this. A gift should include sentimental value but at the same time, it requires a reflection on what “meaningful” is to you.
Dante Dollosso, a Serra junior, says “I think the perfect Christmas gift is a hoodie because it’s something useful rather than just sits there. And wearing it is meaningful because it shows appreciation for the person that bought you it.”
To Dante, the piece of clothing might seem simple, but there is a profound depth of affection and consideration. For him, it is no longer just a hoodie, and transforms into a symbol of warmth, both in its material and the sentiment behind it.
On the other hand, NDB Junior Satya Jusino says “The perfect gift is to be with my family near the fire playing bingo.”
As you can see, gifts are not always materialistic items; they can simply be enjoying the presence of your loved ones in an atmosphere of warm laughter. This is a feeling that is easily taken for granted. It is very easy to overlook the “gift” of being with family and friends. The gift of simply waking up every day. The gift of the sun beaming as you drive to work or school. The gift of eating food with your friends. The gift of being able to sleep at night knowing that tomorrow will come. These are gifts that we all forget to acknowledge. There is no real definition of the “perfect” gift. It is not just one thing. It is not just one feeling. Rather, it is something meaningful. It makes you feel warm. It is being present. It is something that should not be taken for granted.
