Every year when Christmas is celebrated on a joyous note, whilst the radio channels plead to the public to gift the needy, we also see loads of very expensive hampers packed with edible goodies and alcohol filled into fancy baskets, wrapped with fat ribbons and made to look fabulous. The cost of one of these hampers could actually feed a less fortunate family for a couple of months. These hampers are also not gifted to those who would enjoy them their full but to, for instance, chairmen of companies and others who can well afford to buy their own food and beverage and even feed the needy neighbours living around them. Not one of these people will decline the gifted hamper but happily accept them. 

To a few celebrations that I have been invited to recently I was very happy to read the small print in the invitation that my presence at the function was much appreciated and no gift was required. Some even added that if a gift was a must, it should be to draw a cheque in favour of a charity they were supporting. What a wonderful gesture I thought to myself since the host certainly seemed comfortable with what they had and were not greedily wanting more gifts and were happy to contribute any gift to a needy charity. People generally tend to give gifts that are wrapped in such an elaborate fashion with loads of wrapping paper and ribbons where in some cases, it is found that the wrapping cost more than the gift itself. 

Lots of people present lavish gifts to brag about their spending power. Then there are the braggers who give gifts with the price tag yet fixed on them on purpose so that the recipient knows how much has been spent even though at times the item has been purchased at a large discount. 

To each his own, I guess. Blessed are those who are generous and have a thoughtful disposition to give the needy and not the greedy.