I have a good idea which is pretty rare for me.  I have been scratching my head enquiring what Dad should buy for daughter, what Mum should buy for me, what I should buy for my son in law? Well now, this whole process has became absurd. We all end up buying things which are generally useless, cost a lot, and except in very few cases, are not any use at all.

There are of course good things that come from useless gifts.  The satisfaction of giving, the improvement in the GDP, and a significant behavioural challenge in pretending to be thrilled.  There are lessons to be learned from all ages.  I remember my children when they were very young casting aside Santa’s fancy gifts and them playing assiduously with the brightly coloured containers and boxes.  My old man receiving his new tie and immediately losing it and forgetting about it until discovered in the following March behind the settee. Of course there are exceptions, and genuinely needed gifts are  thoughtfully purchased and graciously received. 

But you know and I know that as life moves on there is a great deal of habit about the festive season.  All of us are driven to spending money we may or may not be able to afford on unnecessary and duty driven paraphernalia from dangerous Christmas electronic lighting to utterly overpriced gizmos and gadgets.  The Season has become ridiculously materialistic.

Yet, as we spend and spend, there are those who we casually disregard who cannot afford to lash out, cannot afford a gluttonous feast, some indeed who cannot even keep warm.

Here’s my idea.  Send a gift to those you love, maybe it will be a pound or a thousand pounds.  Tell them to pass on your gift to anyone, who for whatever reason is worse of than them.  Your love may travel further than you think.