Giving of Ourselves

By Lauren Madsen

On December 4, 1994, President Howard W. Hunter gave his last public address to members of the Church at the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. His sweet words that night made such an impact on me that once they were available in printed form, I typed them up and printed them on special paper, and placed them in hand-sewn, candy-filled stockings to pass out to my friends at school as Christmas gifts. He extended the following invitation:

“This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.”

I come back to this list of invitations every year at Christmas time, and there is such a stark difference between how I feel reading through President Hunter’s suggestions and how I feel scrolling through my email inbox in December. 

“Holiday styles you’ll love!” 

“Don’t wait! Deals end soon!” 

“You’re running out of time!”

“Everything you need for gifting joy!”

While the idea of buying something in order to give it keeps with the Christmas spirit we all love, perhaps some of the best gifts we can give others don’t cost any money at all. Each time we act a little more Christlike, we become walking gifts to those we love. We become walking gifts to the world. It is worth thinking about: Am I putting as much time, thought, and energy into what lasts as I am into the presents under the tree? President Hunter also said, “We should strive to give as He gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift. We give as a remembrance of all the Savior has given.”

A few years ago, my young son became very sick the week of Christmas. On the night of Christmas Eve, with the rest of our little family out visiting grandparents, I watched him sleep on the couch and my worry for him suddenly increased. He had not been able to eat and his face looked pale and thin. I had the thought to post on social media, asking for prayers on his behalf. Over the next twenty-four hours countless friends and family members reached out with words of comfort, as well as promises of prayers. By Christmas morning my son was able to sit up and eat for the first time in several days. Feeling the collective love and support as people exercised their faith on my son’s behalf was the greatest gift anyone could have given us that year. They spoke their love, and it was a Christmas we will never forget. 

In the December 2025 Liahona, President Oaks listed additional ways that we can become walking gifts to the world and practice “good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). He said, “Christmas is a time to eliminate arrogance and provocation, to subdue criticism, to practice patience, and to de-emphasize differences among people.” If each of us chose just one thing from the list of President Hunter or President Oaks to focus on, think of the ripple effects! And imagine if we each chose two or three! The true spirit of Christmas lies in recognizing Jesus Christ as the greatest gift ever given, and following the example he set. President Thomas S. Monson summarized it perfectly when he taught, “When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the spirit of Christ, for the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit.”