Give Love, Not Gifts

Let me start with a question that I want you to answer for yourself.
What is your love language?

If you don't know, go here and take a little quiz that will give you a pretty good idea.

Then I want you to think about those you love most. What is their love language? Generally it's the top one or two love languages that affect a person most, in my opinion.

Now think about this Christmas season.  There's a large focus of showing love, right? Because Christ's light and love is something we try to emulate especially at this time of year, but have you noticed that people try to show love in a generic way at Christmas time? And that way is usually through gifts.
The problem with this, is that this is not everyone's number one love language, so getting them a gift is not very meaningful.  I mean, have you ever tried to think of the perfect gift for someone, but had the hardest time thinking of what they would want and be really excited and happy with?  My thoughts are that it's so hard to think of gift ideas because we're thinking giving a physical object is the only way we can show love, the only type of 'present' we can give.

From personal experience of taking the quiz, and other friends taking it as well (hopefully my roommates don't mind me sharing), the love language of getting gifts has come in last place by a long shot for most of us.   Maybe we're unique, but for people similar to us, I don't think it's too far-fetched to say that gift-giving is not the number one way we'd like to be shown love this Christmas.

In Relief Society yesterday, a young women raised her hand and shared similar thoughts with us.  She pointed out that Christmas time is a time to show love, and that we should tailor the love we give to others for them, and not just go with the flow and try and find a good gift. She shared that by loving others how they feel most loved is the best possible way we could ever love them.

Say someone's love language was quality time. Do you really think buying them an expensive gift, and simply dropping it on their doorstep would be a better Christmas present to them than coming over and talking for a bit while doing something simple like making snowflakes??
Personally, I would definitely opt for making snowflakes and talking, over making someone spend money on something that I might not even like, or ever use.

I challenge you to think of the people you want to show love to this season, and perhaps you still get them presents, but try and give them the kind of love they deserve in the way that's best for them. :) And maybe you can change your own Christmas-Wish List to things that fit your love language.

May your Christmas season be filled with Christ's love, and may you be a reason others feel it too. :)