Intentions--A Paragraph a Day

Christmas is a good time for me to reflect on intention--why do I want to do the things I want to do during the holiday season?  I want to give certain gifts to certain people, of course, but is that because I care for them and want to do something nice for them, or because I want to be thanked or seen in a different light by the recipient or other people who know I've given the gift?  My wife and I regularly buy gifts for families that have signed up with organizations that help to match gift donors with needy families, and it's important to ask ourselves if we're doing that because we want to feel better about ourselves, or because we want to provide a few nice Christmas gifts to some kids who otherwise might not get anything?  Of course, the answer is pretty much always the latter, but I think it is worthwhile to at least ask ourselves the question about our motivation so that we can be sure that we're doing things for the right reason.  When talking about getting gifts for kids who may not get anything otherwise, I'm sure that even if there are some selfish motives, the fact that the gifts are being given makes it a good thing anyway, so there's no problem even if the motive isn't simply giving.  But if we get into giving to make ourselves feel better or to impress other people, then it's pretty sure that we're in for some sort of disappointment because people generally don't act in the ways we want or expect them to act.  My main goal, though, is to make sure that I can feel a clear conscience when I know that my desire to give gifts isn't at all motivated by what I may get back in return, and that I can completely forget the fact that we gave what we gave, knowing that it's now in the hands of the person or people it was meant to be in.