GIVING has never been easyas the Magi, those first Christmas givers, discovered when they arrived with offerings fit for a king only to find a babe lying in a stable. Still, in the early centuries following that birth, giving was relatively simple. It meant giving up, a giving away of one's self or one's worldly goods in imitation of Christ. The matter grew more complex under the Protestant ethic, when gifts were bestowed as a reward or incentive for good behavior. St. Nick was long depicted as a scrawny saint who Carried presents in one hand and birch rods in the...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
