It’s the Thought that Counts
A bit of “discourse” popped up on Twitter this week. A friend asked what she should give to her son’s teachers for Christmas this year, and I quickly replied “We do something simple. This year it’s a cute coffee mug with hot cocoa mix.”
Because it’s the Internet, someone of course had to jump in with “Mugs are stupid…” commentary and told me I should’ve just given each teacher $5 cash instead.
And it got me thinking about what giving a gift is really all about.
It’s not about the cost of the coffee mug or the hot cocoa mix. It isn’t about the usefulness of the item (though these mugs proved to be the cutest I could find with TINY HUMAN TAMER lettered across the front). Giving a gift isn’t about just assigning a monetary value to the human being you give the gift to — it’s about showing the person you have thought of them, care about them, and have found something unique to give them.
Today at Rose’s school, the kids get to go to “Santa’s Workshop.” We sent $20 and Rose gets to shop for her family. She was jabbering nonstop on the way to school this morning about how excited she is to pick stuff out for us, and just like the pineapple necklace she got me last year is a prized possession I’ll cherish forever, I’m sure whatever $5 gift she brings home this year will be just as precious.
It’s the thought that counts…literally. The thought you put into the gift - the time you put in to getting it, wrapping it, and giving it - that matters. most.
Today’s Headlines
Kentucky Bishops are sharing the resilience of their flock in the face of the horrific tornado damage from last week. Read more here.
The Supreme Court is upholding a vaccine mandate in New York, calling to question religious liberty. Catholic News Agency has a breakdown here.
Pope Francis has set Blessed Marie Rivier one step closer to sainthood by approving a miracle. Learn about this amazing French nun here.