My Trans Canada Romance writers Christmas blog to you.

When I thought about this post, I was going to give examples of my anonymous gift giving, the anonymous gifts made by my sons and placed secretly on neighbors’ outside steps But then I researched and was reminded that anonymous is defined as: “of unknown name or authorship.”

Secret Santa, which many groups take part in during this gift sharing season, is a Western Christmas tradition. There are many places you can research the rules and proper etiquette. But mostly it is a fun way to get to know your colleagues and office staff. And of course in the end, all recipients will most likely know the identity of the gift giver.

Then there is Ghost giving. “The act of anonymously giving to others as a truly unselfish act of random kindness, without desire of ever receiving recognition or reciprocation.”

We’ve all seen random acts of kindness which add the qualifier to “pay-it-forward.” Although this sounds like a good way to gift to someone and ask for nothing in return, we have actually placed a qualifier on our gift.

There is gifting where we give gifts unconditionally. We give because we want to and expect absolutely nothing in return, not even a simple gratitude murmur of “thank you.”

It is normal to expect at least a smile of acknowledgement when giving to a recipient. Pretend it is Christmas, Birthday, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Ramadan and you have thought about the persons you are giving gifts, you’ve shopped, you’ve wrapped and you’ve presented your gift. Today, if the appreciation is verbal we may consider it sufficient, in the past it was good manners to send a note of appreciation. How many of us badgered our children to write letters of appreciation for gifts?

But the ultimate unconditional gift is the anonymous gift. This requires a certain amount of altruism defined as “unselfishness as a principle of action.”

During this season and continuing throughout the year, I’d like to suggest we continue to give cheer to others. We do not need an appreciation because we know ourselves what we have done.

In Woman of Substance, Robbie and her family purchase small personal gifts for each other but then do something for the community all year. They reveal their previous years accomplishments on Christmas Day.

“Robbie suggested that your family tradition shares a small gift with each other and then a mystery gift that involves helping someone. I’ve made an educated guess what a gift like that might involve and I’d like to share my mystery gift with you.” Jake said.

Ron began, “It’s not necessary. We usually keep it a secret until next Christmas but we can make an exception if you both agree.”

Megan and Robbie nodded solemnly and lowered their eyes while Jake continued…..”

I will gift an e-copy of Woman of Substance to a random selected author of a comment so that you can discover Jake’s gift for this year.

A recipe: 

Because a member of my family has diabetes, I have modified my mother’s recipe for chocolate sauce.

I share this with you today.

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 cup of coca

1 1/4 cups of Splenda

1 1/4 cup of water

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

Bring to boiling point and boil about 5 minutes. Pour into containers and store in refrigerator. Hmmm good.

 

Please stop in at the other blogs and enter to win.

ANNETTE BOWER  

DENYSE BRIDGER 

STACY DAWN  

DARLENE FREDETTE  

MARLOW KELLY  

LORI POWER  

GINI RIFKIN 

 

 

Photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/christmas-gifts-1-1158413 (red box in tree.)

Photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/chocberry-1326179 (chocolate sauce)

Photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/wrapped-gift-1428161 (girl with wrapped gift)

Photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/scrabble-merry-xmas-2-1170146 (scrabble Merry Christmas).