What's the best gift you have received/given?

With it being December 24th and everyone so in the Christmas mood even though it's not as white out there as we would like, I figured I would write a blog post about a special Christmas I had with my daughter when she was young or maybe one of mine from the vaults, but no, I have something different in mind. I ask the question: What's the best gift you have received or given to someone else during a Christmas past or present?

I want you to think about that for a minute before answering as I describe what I've observed so far this Christmas season. I've seen the usual bad drivers on the roads, not letting people in or even berating other drivers with curse words or hand gestures that would make Rob Ford blush. In the malls I have been pushed aside by shoppers in a hurry, with no regard for others and witnessed the equivalent of a grown up temper tantrum over misunderstood pricing. I have read about citizens loosing their composure with Employment Insurance employees because this time of the year becomes financially stressful for everyone.

Still thinking about your best present ever? In the past I can remember stories of innocent looking grandmothers/mothers breaking into fist fights over limited numbers of dolls or electronic gadgets in toy stores. I've seen belief systems surrounding this holiday season tear families apart, ending in violence and creating rifts. Expectations become even higher for some reason and even the best intentions can be disappointing when people are measured against an unattainable scale. There is so much pressure to impress people with expensive things, outdoing each other for what?

This year I received my best gift early in the way of a simple email. One of the jobs I applied to this week sent me a short email wishing me a happy holiday and said that they would be in touch with me after the Christmas break. Hope. That is what they gave me this year when I am unemployed and fretting the winter months of making ends meet for me and my daughter. It's that simple. No fancy package. No expensive gadget. And it was exactly what I needed. Hope and faith that a job is right around the corner for me.