Christmas at the Miller household is in the gathering of all the relatives scattered all over the country. Some come from distant locations and some from close by. It is a wonderful day when each member gets to know each other again after being away for such a long time. Siblings who used to play together now grew apart. The games they played are now unfamiliar to each other.
Little Mary Miller grew up and married a successful banker by the name of Nathan Kennedy. She was always very arrogant and narcissistic. When she communicated with people she would always pretend she was listening, but instead she would be thinking about how much more superior she was.
She loved shopping with a passion, spending far too much of her husband’s money. Since he was very wealthy, it didn’t bother him that much. For Christmas she had no idea what to buy for her relatives, because she couldn’t care less about them. She bought the most extravagant presents she could find, as if she were buying them for herself.
Her sister Susan was completely the opposite. She married an attendant at the orphanage, and he got her a job there also. She and her husband became the children’s best confidants, because they used to listen to them. They managed to eke out a living from the meager earnings they received, but became rich in their hearts through their charity. For Christmas she knitted clothing with catchy slogans on them that fit their personalities for his and her close relatives.
On Christmas morning, when they were exchanging gifts around the tree, the grandchildren all gathered around Susan, because she was so attentive and fun. When they opened the presents, the children had no idea how expensive Mary’s presents were. They weren’t even what they wanted or needed. They didn’t like her anyway. Mr. Kennedy’s hard earned money just got poured down the sink. They loved Susan’s presents, because they loved her so much. She was quite adept at knitting, because she knitted clothing for the children at the orphanage, and knew what they all needed and what made them happy.
Extravagance is that all appealing quality that lasts for only a short time. It lures the person into its beauty, but proves that it is only skin deep. If it doesn’t fit the need, what good is it? The more extravagant the thoughtless gifts become, the more distant the presented one pulls away. Most of the time, it is a token of superiority over the less fortunate. The one who gives should bear the burden of being careful not to give as a result of self esteem, but as brotherly love and friendly aid. Insight, attentiveness, and communication are the most perfect gifts one could give.