Christmas is a very busy time of year. This is perhaps one of my more obvious statements. But it is especially true for church people. And very especially double true for church leaders. I will have more Turkey dinners than I care to admit, will have sung all the carols several times each (already been to one service), heard the same readings a number of times and seen the nativity story told in several different ways.
But I am not complaining. Quite the opposite. I love the celebrations, the carols, the feeling of Christmassyness that pervades what we do. It is one time of the year when people (usually unwittingly) are influenced by God’s good news.
Today is St Nicholas’s Day. He’s the good bishop who gave away to the poor and who became so legendary that he has now become Father Christmas / Santa Claus / any number of other names. He is nothing to do with red suits lined with fur. He simply tried to help others anonymously with his generosity in the way that Jesus would want.
Sounds like a plan for this year!
After being away on business for a week before Christmas, Tom thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift.
“How about some perfume?” he asked the girl behind the cosmetics counter. She showed him a bottle costing £50.
“That’s a bit much,” said Tom, so she returned with a smaller bottle for £30.
“Thats still quite a bit,” Tom groused.
Growing disgusted, the clerk brought out a tiny £15 bottle.
Tom grew agitated, “What I mean,” he said, “is I’d like to see something really cheap.”
So the girl handed him a mirror.
nukelearfishing 
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