the perfect Christmas gift! (or name that pig!)

Letha and I have discovered the way to a stress-free Christmas. It is only December 1 and we have already decided what we will be buying for one another this year. We have decided on the perfect Christmas gift! And we want to let you in on it early. We made the decision to purchase (drum roll, please!) a brand new, state of the art Sus scrofa domesticus (a pig)! That’s right; we are procuring a swine for each other – kind of a mutual gift which expresses our deep and sincere love for one another.

I know what a couple of you are thinking … only a pig would buy a pig for his wife at Christmas. But hang on there; I’ve got some explaining to do. Assuming you would like a little more info…

At Christmas ’08, we decided to keep spending to a minimum. Since neither of us needed anything, we didn’t but gifts for each other. Some people may find this a little cold-hearted but we didn’t think so. It was quite liberating to avoid the pressure of having to buy something clever and original. We really enjoyed the simplicity of focusing our attention on more important things. And just in case any of you think that this is just my slacker way of getting out of buying something for Letha, just ask her, she agreed 100%!

Our approach this year will be a little different. Since we both already own more than we want and there are no needs in our lives for material things, we are looking beyond ourselves. Through some ongoing ministry projects we are involved in, we are aware of some other people who are in need this year. We are buying a pig (including all the accoutrements and accessories) for Casa Shalom orphanage in Guatemala. The leaders there are beginning to invest in ways that can reduce operational costs and make the home less dependent on outside support. They recently constructed a chicken farm and added a stall for a pig. They plan to raise the pig and, when it is fully grown, use it to feed the children at the home. So our gift to each other this year will feed some hungry kids. We are also checking into getting some chickens and possibly a cow for another organization.

I am not suggesting that you follow our lead on this one. This is a personal decision and I would really hate to be responsible for someone in your family being very disappointed on Christmas morning. If you are thinking about something similar, I suggest you discuss it thoroughly with the people in your life. Don’t surprise anyone with a pig under the tree. However, if you would like some creative gift ideas, check out The Heifer Project, Christmas of Compassion, The Moju Project, Bibles Unbound, and Compassion International.

Name that Pig!
I would like to give the pig a name and am open to suggestions. I am running a “name that pig” contest on facebook. The winner will receive (once again, drum roll, please) … the honor of naming the Christmas pig! And if you suggest the name Rick, I will unfriend you!