The Gift of Presence

Loving the Lonely at Christmas

What if the most powerful gift you gave this Christmas wasn’t bought at a store?

Christmas is meant to be a season of joy, but for many, it’s the loneliest time of year. Behind cheerful music and glowing lights, some hearts ache with grief, distance, or the feeling of being forgotten.

I’ve known family members who stopped coming to gatherings because they felt invisible. Others, especially the elderly or sick, quietly spend Christmas alone, waiting for someone to remember them.

But we don’t have to leave them waiting. With just a little effort, families can bring Christ’s love right to their doorstep.

Family Christmas Activity

Create Little Gifts Together

  • Bake a batch of cookies and arrange them on simple trays.

  • Fill felt stockings with foil-wrapped chocolates and candy canes.

  • Tie with a ribbon and a handwritten note.

    Deliver Them as a Family

    Visit widows, lonely neighbors, family members who are sick or infirm, or even residents of a nearby nursing home.

    Encourage your children to be the ones to hand the gift, smile, and say, “Merry Christmas, we are thinking of you.”

Presence doesn’t have to be complicated. A small act of kindness, wrapped with love and delivered with a smile, can shine the light of Christ into someone’s lonely place.

“Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.” — Psalm 71:9

At Christmas, we celebrate Emmanuel — “God with us.” Jesus came near. He didn’t send us a message from afar; He gave us Himself.

The greatest gift isn’t wrapped in shiny paper. It’s the gift of presence — our time, our care, our willingness to show up.

Creating Christmas crafts as a family helps teach young people to love and respect their elders while making cherished memories. When we take the time to bless someone who might otherwise be overlooked, we are living out His presence.