No money for Christmas presents?
Every year you see articles about parents not having enough money for presents for their kids. But does this really have to be a bad thing?
My parents were ‘salt of the Earth’ working class people, born in 1933 and 1941 respectively, working hard from an early age on to build up Germany from the ruins and rubble it was after the Second World War. I was the first of four children, all born in a small village in the middle of nowhere in the 1960s, and my early Christmas memories are of the whole house being cleaned, everything being made to look festive, a big meal being cooked, kids all scrubbed and dressed up, a lot of stress and shouting, and then at 6 pm being lined up in front of the door and expected to beam happily for the camera my father had bought before my birth to document our family life - when in reality you didn’t feel particularly happy due to having been shouted at and the stress all day long. In reality it was a performance, a farce really.
As I got quite active in church and took religion seriously back then, I declared at the age of 12 and weeks in advance that I do NOT want presents: "After all, It isn’t MY birthday!”. Of course the usual scenario played out and I got presents - which I refused to open. Cue more shouting, upset mother, festivities ruined even more than usual.
But I stuck to my convictions, and after three such Christmases we reached a compromise. There was not going to be a big meal anymore but something simple so that mother wasn’t exhausted and rushed off her feet trying to fulfil some silly social obligations - after all, Jesus and his followers drank from wooden cups, not out of golden goblets, and if simple was good enough for them, it was good enough for us. And instead of presents we would donate the money to a good cause.
The difference this made was enormous. No more stressing about and running around for presents. No more spending money that was in short supply anyway. No longer thinking giving presents was the main point of Christmas. No fancy tableware or food, slaving in the kitchen for hours. No exhaustion. No shouting. No bad atmosphere.
And simple and easy doesn’t mean it isn’t tasty - a potato salad and sausages, or later smoked salmon (bought and stored in the freezer when it was on special) with lettuce and horseradish on toast was plenty festive enough, and quite honestly: we kids didn’t care about fancy food. We wanted plenty and tasty - and that we got in spades.
Now we simply relaxed at the table, eating and talking and enjoying ourselves while waiting for the next toast to pop up, and playing board games after dinner - playing with each other instead of with some new toy that we didn’t really need anyway. And at midnight walking through the dark and cold, with the snow crunching underneath our feed, going to mass …
These were by far the best Christmases I had with my family. It really FELT like Christmas.
Sadly when the next generation of kids came along, my siblings reverted to the old-fashioned way. Social pressure is immense, and with my niece and nephew being the only kids in our extended family for quite a while they got absolutely hammered with presents. Everyone seemed to compete with each other (I stayed out of it) and when my nephew was just 10 he got a mobile phone, a bike, a table tennis table with all the trimmings, and much more that I don’t remember anymore.
I always found it fitting that in English another word for presents is ‘gift’ - because in German ‘gift’ means poison.
And for me, these presents have always been a poison to the meaning of Christmas …
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Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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53% Human-centred experience and communication
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15.7% Critical thinking
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28.8% Resilience and adaptability
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2.5% Other - I will share below!
The Gospel’s Relevance Today**
The Gospel, meaning ‘good news’, is the cornerstone of the message contained in the Bible’s first four books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While these records were written approximately 2,000 years ago, a natural question arises: why is this Gospel still relevant and vital for us today? This analysis seeks to explore what the Bible itself defines as the Gospel and to understand its enduring significance.
**Defining the Gospel: Core Biblical References**
The Gospel is not a vague concept; Scripture provides clear descriptions of its content and focus.
* **The Gospel of the Kingdom:** In Matthew 4:23, as Jesus begins his ministry, he is described as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” This immediately establishes that the good news is centrally about a kingdom—the Kingdom of God. His accompanying miracles served to validate the authority of this message.
* **The Gospel of Jesus Christ:** Mark 1:1 opens with, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Here, “Christ” is a title meaning ‘anointed one’. Thus, the good news is intrinsically about Jesus: his identity as the Anointed One and his unique status as the Son of God.
* **The Gospel of God’s Grace:** In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul speaks of his mission to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Grace signifies an undeserved gift. This reveals that the Gospel involves a gift from God, offered not because it is merited, but out of His benevolence.
* **The Gospel of Salvation and Peace:** Romans 1:16 declares the Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile (Greek). Furthermore, Romans 10:15 calls it the “gospel of peace,” pointing to a future state of peace brought about by this message.
* **The Gospel Summarised:** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a foundational summary. Paul reminds believers of the gospel he preached, “by which also you are saved.” He then states its core historical facts: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Gospel is therefore rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.
In synthesis, the Gospel is the good news of **salvation and future peace in the Kingdom of God**, made possible by **the grace of God** and **the obedient sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ**, and offered to all who believe.
**Old Testament Foundations: The Gospel Preached to Abraham**
A crucial question is whether the Gospel is confined to the New Testament. Scripture shows its foundations were laid much earlier. Galatians 3:8 states explicitly that “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”
This reference points back to Genesis 12:1-3, where God made profound promises to Abraham: to make him a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These promises—later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob—form the bedrock of the Gospel hope. The good news of salvation through Christ is the fulfillment of how **all nations** would be blessed through Abraham’s “seed.”
**The Gospel’s Personal Relevance: Good News for You Today**
How does this ancient message become “good news for you” today? The application is clearly outlined in Galatians 3.
* **Access through Faith in Christ:** Galatians 3:26 declares, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The promise made to Abraham is now extended to anyone with faith in Jesus.
* **The Role of Baptism:** Verse 27 explains, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism is the God-appointed act of faith that identifies a believer with Christ’s death and resurrection.
* **Unity and Inheritance:** Verses 28-29 reveal the glorious outcome: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Through the Gospel, all barriers are removed; believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of the Kingdom.
This Gospel was once a mystery hidden in God’s purpose (Ephesians 3:3-9). Now, it has been revealed: the unsearchable riches of Christ, offering salvation to all who heed the call, believe the message, and are baptised into him.
**Conclusion: An Enduring and Open Invitation**
The Gospel is far more than a historical account; it is the living, powerful good news of God’s plan for salvation. It is rooted in promises to Abraham, accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and open to all people without distinction. It offers a tangible hope—the hope of resurrection, peace, and an inheritance in the coming Kingdom of God. This is why the Gospel remains profoundly relevant. It is an invitation to listen, believe, and stand firm in this hope, linking our lives today to the eternal purpose of God.
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