Christmas is an event that has emerged in bits and pieces, formed from out of the mists of antiquity.

The tradition of giving gifts at Christmas time dates back to a practice in vogue in pagan Rome. Each year, on Dec. 17 and 18, ancient Romans celebrated the festival of Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the god of agriculture.

At this time, Romans exchanged gifts of sweet pastry, lamps, precious stones, and gold and silver. The early Christians, however, shunned Christmas-giving, for the very reason that it was popular among what they called the “pagan Romans.”

It was centuries before they accepted the custom. I mean let’s just admit it, who doesn’t love getting gifts?

Getting gifts on your birthday is wonderful, how great is it to get gifts on someone else’s birthday too! When they did accept it, the custom was tied to a feast celebrated by the church. Christmas was considered to be the greatest feast of them all, and Christmas time became the reason and the season to give costly gifts to each other.

In England, in the 11th century, William the Conqueror set an example of gift giving by shipping the major part of his plunder, bounty, or loot from the defeat of the English Saxons to the Pope in Rome. English kings kept the spirit of giving alive, choosing Christmas time to spread the wealth.

King Richard the Lionhearted annually distributed his treasure among the knights and nobles at this time.King John of Magna Carta fame gave his servants gifts of fine clothes. But the kings made sure the gift giving was reciprocal, if you did not give a gift, you were not going to get one.

King Henry VII began a custom of Christmas “boxes” as a means to extract tribute from his subjects. Queen Elizabeth I demanded that she receive Christmas presents from the highest to the lowest of her court and employees — all the way down to the cooks in the kitchen. Even the royal garbage men sent the queen gifts, and it better not be garbage. It was usually two bolts of fine cloth that may have cost their weekly salary.

In reality, true Christmas gift giving goes all the way back to God giving the gift of his only begotten son. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who so ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Which proves you can give without loving, but you can not love and not give.

Love always gives the best gifts.

My father told me that he knew I was in love with my then date who turned out to be my lovely wife, because he said “when you took all the other girls out on a first date you went to McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, or some other fast-food restaurant. But your first date with her you took to the most expensive place you could afford, the Brown Derby.” He was right; when you are in love you give your very best. For those that believe in the Christian way of thinking, God gave us his very best, in his only Son.

Now we have an opportunity to give our best to someone else.

It’s not always about money, the things that might be remembered longer are our acts of kindness. Not that I have anything against money, I accept all donations (smile). Even when we were in a year of the Covid-19 pandemic, political and racial unrest, record deaths, a failing economy, home foreclosure, and record job loss, we still had a great Christmas.Yes, our family should be on that list, but also those that are less fortunate than ourselves. It’s time to take the selfishness back out of Christmas. Give to someone that can’t give back to you.

It is hard for me to believe we have been writing articles and doing our Christmas Food and Toy Giveaway since 1990. If my math is correct that is 34 years. Many volunteers show up on the giveaway day, and we are grateful. We could not do what we do without them. Very few volunteers show up to help set up, clean up afterwards, help pay for it, or figure out the next week how we are going to pay for what we did. I must admit I am human, and sometimes feel like throwing in the towel.

This past week, we received a call from someone we did not know, or at least we thought we did not know. They asked if they could donate 50 new bicycles to our giveaway. Not used, but brand new.

As far as I was concerned it was a Christmas Miracle.We already had some, and were going to buy more. Then when he came and I met him and the men with him, he asked me did I remember him? I apologized that I did not. Then he said he attended our church back in 2014. Our church is not that big, but I still did not recall. He said he came to our area working on the gas & oil line. After watching and listening to us, he wanted to do more for his community. He moved to New Martinsville, started a church, got a tent, started feeding people and helping them every Tuesday. Sometimes I am told, they help up to 1,000 people. Then he gave me my Christmas Mircale and said, “they are getting help, because you inspired me to help others!”

Wow!! That is what Christmas is all about; you showing love, inspiring someone else to show love too!

As we move into another holiday season, why not look to help someone’s dream come true. It may surprise you how easy it may be. No matter how young or old a person is, they still have dreams. Someone said, “You are not old by chronological age, you are old when you give up on your dreams.”

I have met a number of people who are secret dream makers in people’s lives. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.

The best blessing you can ever have, is to be a blessing in somebody’s life.

From the Cummings family, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and anything else you might celebrate. Live, Laugh, and Prosper is my wish for you and yours!

Bishop Darrell W. Cummings is pastor of Bethlehem Apostolic Temple in Wheeling and Shiloh Apostolic Temple in Weirton.