Holiday Generosity

In the Primary class, we’ve been reading lots of books about Christmas this last week before we go on our break (we studied Hanukkah and Solstice earlier in the month). The theme of many of the books is the old adage, “it’s better to give than to receive,” and the students have been really compelled by this saying.

During show and tell this past Friday, one of the students brought in some ornaments she had made. At the end of her sharing time, she told us that she had made them for us and each person got to pick one to take home. The students were delighted, and one student suggested that maybe she had gotten the idea from earlier, when another student brought us all some homemade candy-shaped toys at Halloween. The ornament-making student said, “yes, that’s where I got the idea!” The student who had made the Halloween “treats” beamed with delight.

I stopped the conversation for a moment to point out to the class how interesting it was that one act of generosity inspired another act of generosity, and how we might think that we will have less when we are generous, but we actually end up with more. One of the students added, “Yes! We might end up with less things, but we end up with more good feelings and love.” Exactly!

The students have been very eager to make things in class that they can give as gifts. They demonstrate a deep understanding that it’s better to give than to receive. It’s a blessing to spend my days with such fearlessly open and generous people.