Practicing Creative Generosity as a Form of Sabbath Resistance - December 7, 2025
Quote from terri_f on December 7, 2025, 11:40 amA copy of the handout, the suggestions shared in our discussion, and a copy of the Star Tribune Article mentioned are all included below:
Practicing Creative Generosity as a Form of Sabbath Resistance
Faith Formation - SJE
December 7, 2025
Opening Prayer - Prayer of St. Francis
Lord make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon, where there is doubt, faith, where there is despair, hope, where there is darkness, light, and where there is sadness, joy. Divine master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to consolet, to be understood, as to understand, to be loved, as to love, for it is in giving that we receive–it is is pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
I chose to start with St. Francis for a few reasons - how many are aware that he is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223, using real people and animals to depict the birth of Jesus? Saint Francis wanted to emphasize the poverty and humility of Jesus's birth to inspire devotion and a deeper understanding of the incarnation, rather than focusing on gifts. By the 14th century became a common practice to have static nativity scenes
I also chose to start with St. Francis because he was originally born into a wealthy family, but rejected that wealth to adopt a life of poverty.
So today’s task is to talk about creative generosity, how can we find ways of gift giving that are less dependent on spending money at places we normally might frequent for gifts. And this year there were a number of organizations calling for a boycott on Black Friday and beyond of Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot and other places
Jim Wallis, an author we were reading for our Thursday Book Club published a post in his SubStack - Reclaiming the Season of Giving -https://jimwallis.substack.com/p/reclaiming-the-season-of-giving
“Each year, the weeks before Christmas are meant to draw us closer to one another and to God. Instead, they have become a season of endless consumption and distraction. Companies like Amazon encourage us to measure our love by what we buy and how fast it arrives. But Advent was never meant to be a countdown to more stuff. It is an invitation to pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.”
He followed that post with another, No Amazon for Advent https://noamazonforadvent.com/
“Instead of enriching the world’s wealthiest, we choose to strengthen the places and people that make our communities whole. We choose local businesses struggling to survive, nonprofits caring for the vulnerable, and neighbors in need of compassion. We choose to pass down memories to our new generations through the gifting of heirlooms and other items that hold special
importance to us and our families. We practice being intentional by spending less on things and more on purpose.”
So that’s what I want to focus our discussion on today. Spending less on things and more on purpose.
I wanted to start with another story - How many are familiar with the story, “The Gift of the Magi” by O.Henry?
A young couple with little money each give up their single precious possession in order to buy the other a gift for Christmas. The twist at the end is that each person bought a gift that was related to the possession given up by the other. So, thinking about meaningful gifts for others in your lives, but also thinking about just being generous during this season, and beyond.
Today we are going to do a few exercises to think creatively about gift giving that doesn’t rely on purchasing materials goods
So let’s talk a bit about what is precious to many people, but we often complain we don’t have enough?
Time or attention.
So thinking about gifts that involve time, using your paper, write down some thoughts about gifts you might be able to give that involve time. Here’s a couple of examples:
It is winter and we appear to be having a real one this year. So last Sunday my neighbor used his snowblower to clear my front public walk and I used mine to do his walk after our couple of inches this week.
I’ll give you an example of a gift I am creating - my niece, her husband, and seven year old are coming next to visit next summer - so I’m putting together a “Guide to Making Memories in Minnesota” - using postcards and computer print outs to identify places I will take them next summer - Paddlewheel ride, Grand Ole Creamery, Como Conservatory and Zoo, Science Musuem, golf course, and other places to visit each place focused on one of them. Gift of experiences.
So please take a few minutes and think about something you might be able to give someone that involves time - consider age
These were comments made during the Forum:
Music program & choir give their gifts of time
A weekly morning walk with friends
Volunteering
Being more proactive to have conversations with relatives, siblings
Example of a brother who became a bus driver after retirement and collecting his stories to put in a book
Regularly scheduled Zoom call with family/friends
Write up memories, things siblings did as children that made an impact on the life and share them with the siblings
Make a recording of a memory, one at a time, that can be listened to as time allows
Collecting and writing down the family history and sharing with nieces and nephews, children and grandchildren
Gifts of time - pre-prepared examples
Babysitting - providing time for a date night or time alone, time for someone to just get away and do something on his/her/their own - rejuvenation
Companionship
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner for someone - taking them out or bringing food in
Reading aloud - to shut ins, to children - creative use of Zoom to read aloud to a child not in your geographic vicinity
Other idea include:
Create compilation of music - cds, tapes in the old days
Create a low cost terrarium - https://terrariumtribe.com/cheap-terrarium/
Photographs - a photograph turned into something special and framed
Regifting a book that was meaningful for you in some way with a note
Gardening/Yard Work - seasonal - gifts of help
Snow shoveling
Mowing
Weeding
Seed starters - preparing pots of seeds for spring planting
Handy services -
Home fix it upper
Baking - bread, cookies
Cooking - soups, pan of lasagna
Sewing
Knitting
Car Wash
Cleaning - offering to clean someone’s house/apt -
Other resources
Google - “no cost gift ideas” and you will find quite a few lists of gift ideas
Books at the Public Library
Gifts to Make and Eat; Elizabeth Macleod
The Soul of Gift Wrapping; Creative Techniques for Expressing Gratitude, Inspired by the Japanese Art of Giving;Megumi Lorna Inouye
Article in Star Tribune on Monday, Dec. 1 - Business Section - “For gifts, think outside the box” (see below for text of article)
Personalized puzzle
Cusomized cookbook - compile a collection of recipes
Experience jar - fill a jar with notes, each contsinng a different experience
(see article)
This handout and additional suggestions will be available on Faith Forum later today - https://stjohnsstpaul.org/forums/forum/formation/
For gifts, think outside the box - December 1, Business Section
OUTSWIMMING THE SHARKS
By HARVEY MACKAY For the Minnesota Star Tribune
A teacher worked in a small remote village and taught children reading and writing. S he loved her job but received very little pay, except for what the villagers could share with her.
One day a small boy came up to her desk with a present.
The teacher unwrapped the gift and found a beautiful seashell inside. S he had never seen a seashell like this before, and she knew the village was many miles from the nearest ocean. “Where did you find this?” she asked.
“Near the great sea on the other side of the mountains,” the boy said.
“But that’s such a long way to go,” the teacher said.
The boy smiled and said, “The long walk is part of the gift.”
A gift is more than a trinket. It’s a symbol of everything that went into it. Gift-giving is a wonderful way to express love, appreciation and thoughtfulness.
It’s so important to understand the recipient — their hobbies, favorite activities or things they are passionate about. A gift that aligns with their interests shows that you pay attention to what matters to them.
Personalized gifts, such as engraved items or custom-made pieces, can add a special touch that makes the gift memorable.
Sometimes, experiences like a concert ticket, a cooking class or a weekend getaway can be more meaningful than a physical item.
Presentation also matters.
Taking the time to wrap a gift beautifully can enhance the recipient’s experience . A heartfelt note or card can add a personal touch that conveys your feelings in words, making the gift even more special.
When it comes to creative gifts that can be given for any occasion, the key is to think outside the box and personalize the gift to make it memorable.
These are some of my favorites.
Personalized puzzle: Create a custom puzzle using a photo that holds significance for the recipient.
Customized cookbook: Compile a collection of recipes that you know the recipient loves or would enjoy trying. Include personal notes or stories related to each recipe.
Experience jar: Fill a jar with notes, each containing a different experience or activity you can do together.
Subscription box: Choose a subscription box that aligns with the recipient’s interests, such as gourmet snacks, books or self-care products.
DIY memory book: Create a scrapbook filled with photos, mementos and notes capturing shared memories. It’s a heartfelt way to reminisce about the good times.
Virtual class or workshop: An online class or workshop that aligns with their hobbies or interests makes a great gift.
Personalized calendar: Design a calendar featuring photos and important dates that are meaningful to the recipient, like birthdays and anniversaries.
This is an idea I use most often.
Corporate gift-giving is a nuanced art that can significantly impact business relationships.
It’s more than just a gesture; it’s a strategic tool that can enhance connections.
Is the purpose to express gratitude, build relationships or reinforce your brand? Gifts can show appreciation to clients, partners and employees for their support and contributions. Thoughtful gifts can help build and maintain strong business relationships.
Gifts can serve as a reminder of your brand, especially if they are personalized or branded items.
I prefer to give gifts that will keep me in the person’s thoughts.
It doesn’t have to have the company name plastered all over it to be memorable, but something unusual, delicious or useful will remind the recipient that you put some effort into choosing it.
Mackay’s Moral: The best gifts are not about the price tag; it’s the thought and effort behind the gesture that truly counts.
Harvey Mackay is a Minneapolis businessman. Contact him at 612-378- 6202 or email [email protected].
A copy of the handout, the suggestions shared in our discussion, and a copy of the Star Tribune Article mentioned are all included below:
Practicing Creative Generosity as a Form of Sabbath Resistance
Faith Formation - SJE
December 7, 2025
Opening Prayer - Prayer of St. Francis
Lord make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon, where there is doubt, faith, where there is despair, hope, where there is darkness, light, and where there is sadness, joy. Divine master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to consolet, to be understood, as to understand, to be loved, as to love, for it is in giving that we receive–it is is pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
I chose to start with St. Francis for a few reasons - how many are aware that he is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223, using real people and animals to depict the birth of Jesus? Saint Francis wanted to emphasize the poverty and humility of Jesus's birth to inspire devotion and a deeper understanding of the incarnation, rather than focusing on gifts. By the 14th century became a common practice to have static nativity scenes
I also chose to start with St. Francis because he was originally born into a wealthy family, but rejected that wealth to adopt a life of poverty.
So today’s task is to talk about creative generosity, how can we find ways of gift giving that are less dependent on spending money at places we normally might frequent for gifts. And this year there were a number of organizations calling for a boycott on Black Friday and beyond of Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot and other places
Jim Wallis, an author we were reading for our Thursday Book Club published a post in his SubStack - Reclaiming the Season of Giving -https://jimwallis.substack.com/p/reclaiming-the-season-of-giving
“Each year, the weeks before Christmas are meant to draw us closer to one another and to God. Instead, they have become a season of endless consumption and distraction. Companies like Amazon encourage us to measure our love by what we buy and how fast it arrives. But Advent was never meant to be a countdown to more stuff. It is an invitation to pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.”
He followed that post with another, No Amazon for Advent https://noamazonforadvent.com/
“Instead of enriching the world’s wealthiest, we choose to strengthen the places and people that make our communities whole. We choose local businesses struggling to survive, nonprofits caring for the vulnerable, and neighbors in need of compassion. We choose to pass down memories to our new generations through the gifting of heirlooms and other items that hold special
importance to us and our families. We practice being intentional by spending less on things and more on purpose.”
So that’s what I want to focus our discussion on today. Spending less on things and more on purpose.
I wanted to start with another story - How many are familiar with the story, “The Gift of the Magi” by O.Henry?
A young couple with little money each give up their single precious possession in order to buy the other a gift for Christmas. The twist at the end is that each person bought a gift that was related to the possession given up by the other. So, thinking about meaningful gifts for others in your lives, but also thinking about just being generous during this season, and beyond.
Today we are going to do a few exercises to think creatively about gift giving that doesn’t rely on purchasing materials goods
So let’s talk a bit about what is precious to many people, but we often complain we don’t have enough?
Time or attention.
So thinking about gifts that involve time, using your paper, write down some thoughts about gifts you might be able to give that involve time. Here’s a couple of examples:
It is winter and we appear to be having a real one this year. So last Sunday my neighbor used his snowblower to clear my front public walk and I used mine to do his walk after our couple of inches this week.
I’ll give you an example of a gift I am creating - my niece, her husband, and seven year old are coming next to visit next summer - so I’m putting together a “Guide to Making Memories in Minnesota” - using postcards and computer print outs to identify places I will take them next summer - Paddlewheel ride, Grand Ole Creamery, Como Conservatory and Zoo, Science Musuem, golf course, and other places to visit each place focused on one of them. Gift of experiences.
So please take a few minutes and think about something you might be able to give someone that involves time - consider age
These were comments made during the Forum:
Music program & choir give their gifts of time
A weekly morning walk with friends
Volunteering
Being more proactive to have conversations with relatives, siblings
Example of a brother who became a bus driver after retirement and collecting his stories to put in a book
Regularly scheduled Zoom call with family/friends
Write up memories, things siblings did as children that made an impact on the life and share them with the siblings
Make a recording of a memory, one at a time, that can be listened to as time allows
Collecting and writing down the family history and sharing with nieces and nephews, children and grandchildren
Gifts of time - pre-prepared examples
Babysitting - providing time for a date night or time alone, time for someone to just get away and do something on his/her/their own - rejuvenation
Companionship
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner for someone - taking them out or bringing food in
Reading aloud - to shut ins, to children - creative use of Zoom to read aloud to a child not in your geographic vicinity
Other idea include:
Create compilation of music - cds, tapes in the old days
Create a low cost terrarium - https://terrariumtribe.com/cheap-terrarium/
Photographs - a photograph turned into something special and framed
Regifting a book that was meaningful for you in some way with a note
Gardening/Yard Work - seasonal - gifts of help
Snow shoveling
Mowing
Weeding
Seed starters - preparing pots of seeds for spring planting
Handy services -
Home fix it upper
Baking - bread, cookies
Cooking - soups, pan of lasagna
Sewing
Knitting
Car Wash
Cleaning - offering to clean someone’s house/apt -
Other resources
Google - “no cost gift ideas” and you will find quite a few lists of gift ideas
Books at the Public Library
Gifts to Make and Eat; Elizabeth Macleod
The Soul of Gift Wrapping; Creative Techniques for Expressing Gratitude, Inspired by the Japanese Art of Giving;Megumi Lorna Inouye
Article in Star Tribune on Monday, Dec. 1 - Business Section - “For gifts, think outside the box” (see below for text of article)
Personalized puzzle
Cusomized cookbook - compile a collection of recipes
Experience jar - fill a jar with notes, each contsinng a different experience
(see article)
This handout and additional suggestions will be available on Faith Forum later today - https://stjohnsstpaul.org/forums/forum/formation/
For gifts, think outside the box - December 1, Business Section
OUTSWIMMING THE SHARKS
By HARVEY MACKAY For the Minnesota Star Tribune
A teacher worked in a small remote village and taught children reading and writing. S he loved her job but received very little pay, except for what the villagers could share with her.
One day a small boy came up to her desk with a present.
The teacher unwrapped the gift and found a beautiful seashell inside. S he had never seen a seashell like this before, and she knew the village was many miles from the nearest ocean. “Where did you find this?” she asked.
“Near the great sea on the other side of the mountains,” the boy said.
“But that’s such a long way to go,” the teacher said.
The boy smiled and said, “The long walk is part of the gift.”
A gift is more than a trinket. It’s a symbol of everything that went into it. Gift-giving is a wonderful way to express love, appreciation and thoughtfulness.
It’s so important to understand the recipient — their hobbies, favorite activities or things they are passionate about. A gift that aligns with their interests shows that you pay attention to what matters to them.
Personalized gifts, such as engraved items or custom-made pieces, can add a special touch that makes the gift memorable.
Sometimes, experiences like a concert ticket, a cooking class or a weekend getaway can be more meaningful than a physical item.
Presentation also matters.
Taking the time to wrap a gift beautifully can enhance the recipient’s experience . A heartfelt note or card can add a personal touch that conveys your feelings in words, making the gift even more special.
When it comes to creative gifts that can be given for any occasion, the key is to think outside the box and personalize the gift to make it memorable.
These are some of my favorites.
Personalized puzzle: Create a custom puzzle using a photo that holds significance for the recipient.
Customized cookbook: Compile a collection of recipes that you know the recipient loves or would enjoy trying. Include personal notes or stories related to each recipe.
Experience jar: Fill a jar with notes, each containing a different experience or activity you can do together.
Subscription box: Choose a subscription box that aligns with the recipient’s interests, such as gourmet snacks, books or self-care products.
DIY memory book: Create a scrapbook filled with photos, mementos and notes capturing shared memories. It’s a heartfelt way to reminisce about the good times.
Virtual class or workshop: An online class or workshop that aligns with their hobbies or interests makes a great gift.
Personalized calendar: Design a calendar featuring photos and important dates that are meaningful to the recipient, like birthdays and anniversaries.
This is an idea I use most often.
Corporate gift-giving is a nuanced art that can significantly impact business relationships.
It’s more than just a gesture; it’s a strategic tool that can enhance connections.
Is the purpose to express gratitude, build relationships or reinforce your brand? Gifts can show appreciation to clients, partners and employees for their support and contributions. Thoughtful gifts can help build and maintain strong business relationships.
Gifts can serve as a reminder of your brand, especially if they are personalized or branded items.
I prefer to give gifts that will keep me in the person’s thoughts.
It doesn’t have to have the company name plastered all over it to be memorable, but something unusual, delicious or useful will remind the recipient that you put some effort into choosing it.
Mackay’s Moral: The best gifts are not about the price tag; it’s the thought and effort behind the gesture that truly counts.
Harvey Mackay is a Minneapolis businessman. Contact him at 612-378- 6202 or email [email protected].
