My Best Christmas Present Ever!

“And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 [NKJV]

Christmas is only a few weeks away so I’m getting wish lists from my children and grandchildren. I always know what my husband wants: cold hard cash or a gift certificate from his favorite train store. He has a model train hobby and needs endless cash to sustain it. But this year I might divert and surprise him with something romantic and sentimental.

I’m going way back in my memories today to a certain Christmas in my childhood. I was in grade three and a mere eight years old. I don’t remember which present lay under the tree for me or what I opened Christmas morning but I know I got what I was hoping for.

That was the Christmas I got my mom back.

My mother had been very, very sick. I was sure she was going to die. I heard whispers in church at prayer meeting. I saw the ladies’ pitying looks as they tried to smile at me. Men got up in church and prayed long prayers asking God to spare my mom and make her well.

I didn’t know why my mom was in the hospital. At first I thought she was having another baby but my older sisters assured me it wasn’t so. At home my older siblings and Dad talked quietly not wanting to worry us younger children.

So I prayed. I too asked God to heal my mom and bring her home for Christmas. My family was large. I had thirteen brothers and sisters.

A year or two ago another large family in our church had lost their mom. She died. Their father remarried so the children now had a new mom. I did not want a new mom. I loved my mom. I made all kind of promises to God – good Christian things I would do if only He would bring my mom back home to me from the hospital.

And God did bring my mom home for Christmas but only for a couple of days and then she had to go back for surgery.

But that was enough for me.

As I embraced her I was comforted and was able to let her go again. I believed that because she had been gone once and came back she would come back next time also. I was right. She became even sicker than before but she had her surgery. God healed her and many weeks later she came home to stay. God heard my prayer.

When I think of the wise men laying their treasure of gold and perfumes at Jesus feet that first Christmas season I join with them in adoration.

But that Christmas when I was eight all the wealthy material treasures that the richest kings could have laid at Jesus feet could not have compared to the treasure He gave me – my mother.

This Christmas, I encourage you to remember the special gifts Jesus has given you.

Choose the Perfect Romantic Present That Your Special Someone Will Love

We’ve all had those times when we give our lover a romantic gift that we think that they will adore only to have to it fall flat. When this happens neither the giver nor the recipient is happy. Sometimes both become filled with resentment with the giver feeling unappreciated and the recipient feeling like the giver did not care enough to choose something really special. A unique romantic gift can signify that the giver fully understands and embraces the recipient’s passions.

The best way to choose a gift is to understand the person for whom we are buying. If your lover likes spa treatments but would never buy one for them self, that would be the perfect gift. If your lover is a greenie who tries to recycle and minimize waste but still likes luxurious things then an organic gift basket or even jewelry made of conflict free gems and ecofriendly metals may strike a chord. If your lover is a sports fanatic who goes to all the season games then a special present that encompasses either team or sports would work.

An alternative is to build the gift around a special day in your relationship like the day you met, the day you got married or some other special day. For example, the day she cried on your shoulder when her cat died would be an opportunity to give a unique romantic gift that she will treasure always. Get her a Cat charm bracelet or pendant with the name of her lost pet engraved would have her tearing up as she thinks how you really get her. If you met him when he rode to your rescue like a knight in shining armor, or if you just call him your hero, you can get him superhero cufflinks and lapel pins that will put an extra bounce in his steps as he goes to work with your secret unique romantic gift on his cuffs.

How about giving something that she always wanted or something that he never would have thought of getting himself. If she’s an avid romance or fiction reader, a kindle or book of love sonnets would work. If he loves the latest gadgets and seems to have it all, how about a charger pad that gives him a place to store them and charge them all at the same time?

There are so many occasions to find the perfect gift that if you just think of your special someone’s personality, a special day, anniversary, how you met, etc you will be sure to find that unique romantic gift that will have your lover like putty in your arms.

Top Christmas Presents for 2010

Top Christmas presents are different for everyone. You will find Christmas gifts for him, her, teens and children here. Some are popular in retail stores while others are from the best Gifts for Christmas list from toy fairs and manufacturers.

Christmas presents for children are always fun to buy. Some toys spark imagination and interest while helping develop academic skills such as reading or writing. You can find toys that are fun and help your child exercise.

The I Can Be Barbie dolls fall into these categories. I Can Be Barbies are dolls made for girls that inspire them to think about career choices they may want to make in the future. You can find Barbie as a SeaWorld trainer, a computer engineer, a chef, or a doctor. They are beautifully made and come at a very reasonable cost so you can buy more than one, if you cannot decide on which one to get!

For younger children, there are toys that mimic an iPad or children’s laptop. Leapfrog has the Leapster Explorer Learning game, Fisher Price came out with the children’s iXL with a digital reader, art studio and even an MP3 player. These types of games are designed to teach numbers, letters, spelling, and some even have a little life science in some games.

Riding toys are always a hit such as the Radio Flyer classic tricycle. But tricycles are not the only way to ride. You can find pedal cars in the form of a police car, fire engine, and even a pink antique style car! The Plasma Car is a hit with children as it uses inertia, centrifugal force, gravity, and friction to create movement.

The EzyRoller is another ride on toys that combines the control of a bike and the fun of a scooter, according to the manufacturer. Parents like it because it is low to the ground and safe while the kids don’t get tired of it.

Looking for Christmas presents for your kids? For teens and families Xbox has come out with the Kinect. This is an interactive module you connect to your Xbox and use your body as the controller. It is brand new and you can play games such as volleyball, soccer and even hurdle racing. Now kids can have fun while staying active.

PlayStation has their version called the PlayStation Move. This is similar to the Wii game in that you use controllers to mimic the action of the game. You can also play online with friends, download games, movies and more. You can also immerse yourself in 3D games for a total gaming experience.

The best gifts for him usually include electronics and this year is no different. Men enjoy the games such as above, but the best part is that these are fun for the whole family.

Don’t forget the sports gifts! Buy him a football jersey from his favorite team. Or put together your own gift basket for game day that includes his favorite drink, snacks, jersey, and even beer mugs or logo glasses.

Other presents enjoyed by men are GPS systems, watches that act as cameras, video phones and home theater units such as the Denon AV-1911 receiver. If you feel like splurging this year, check out the new 3D televisions for a total home theater experience.

Women like to be pampered as well as practical. Many items will be considered as the best gifts for Christmas if you choose right. Be sure to know what the woman in your life enjoys and find something that suits her personality.

Spa gift certificates always make nice Christmas gifts if she has time and enjoys facials or massages. Jewelry excites some women as many times she will not buy such an extravagance for herself. Perhaps your lady is more into electronics in which case a new laptop or cell phone will be a fun gift idea.

Then there are the unique gifts for those hard-to-buy-for people. These can be fun, interesting and exciting for loved ones or a gift exchange.

One idea is the “Wine Rack” for women or the “Beer Belly” for men. Both are worn around the body and you can fill them with your favorite beverage. The wine rack gives any woman a boost in the chest as it hold wine and the beer belly fits around a man’s waist and can hold beer or other beverages. Talk about interesting!

More fun ideas for interesting or unique gifts are musical instruments, concert tickets, voice activated robots, or games for the Wii that use the Wii Crossbow controller or the Wii Light Saber controller.

Check the internet for unique Christmas presents and don’t forget to browse around your favorite store. According to financial news, the toys stores are going to duke it out this year as they use price wars to get your business. They have overstocked and need to discount so us consumers will benefit this year. But don’t wait until the last minute because the top Christmas gifts do sell out quickly.