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This Christmas, give some love

In this picture taken Thursday Dec. 8, 2011 Barbadian singer Rihanna performs during her concert in Papp Laszlo Budapest Sports Arena in Budapest, Hungary. (AP Photo/MTI, Balazs Mohai)

Season’s greetings family! I greet you in the name of our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! I’m going here this week because I feel duty-bound to do my part to cause the real meaning of Christmas to not be lost or forgotten in the clutter, mayhem and material madness that today’s world and people have forced upon us. Jesus is the reason for the season. More on this after the top 20.Immovable at number one is Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera, a catchy banger of a dance tune. Almost there, at #2, is a DJLT fave Mr Saxobeat by Alexandra Stan. Look out for Alexandra Stan; she is hot, talented and will have more hits soon. Up to #3 is Sexy And I Know It by LMFAO. Falling to #4 is She Will by Lil Wayne featuring Drake.Steadily improving to #5 is Love On Top by Beyonce. I cannot find enough words to pay accolades this song deserves. It is simply an amazing track, well-produced; it gives me chills. Excellent, real instrumentation, no dressed up studio work that cannot be produced live, unbelievable vocal performance by Beyonce and a hit is born. Slipping to #6 is Party by Beyonce featuring Andre 3000. Slipping to #7 is Put Your Hands Up (If You…) by Kylie Minogue.Improving to #8 is We Found Love by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris. This song is another inspirational dance tune from the Queen of Pop. Yup, I have to admit that Rihanna is running things at the moment.Up to #9 is Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People. On the way up at #10 is Countdown by Beyonce. Falling to #11 is Rolling In The Deep by Adele. Tumbling to #12 is Chris Brown’s hit entitled She Ain’t You.Improving to #13 is Without You by David Guetta featuring Usher, which gets a lot of airplay on international radios and in nightspots. Falling to #14 is I’m Into You by Jennifer Lopez featuring L’il Wayne. Falling to #15 is Fly Away by Mavado. Slipping to #16 is Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock.Now this week’s essential new tune, in at # 17, Rain Over Me, by the Latin duo, Marc Anthony and Pitbull. This track bangs and you will hear it all over the place. The combination of Marc Anthony’s smooth voice and Pitbull’s presence and rapping ability (chicks say he is sexy) is a match made in dance music heaven.Motivation by Kelly Rowland featuring L’il Wayne falls to #18 this week. Mavado’s Pepper drops to #19. Tumbling to #20 after a long run at the top is Give Me Everything by Pitbull, Neo, AfroJack & Nayer.Now back to this week’s topic, remembering and practising the real meaning of Christmas. We tend to get caught up in gift giving and stress over what to buy for the persons dear and near to us. Well, help is on the way. Here’s the thing.You don’t have to buy gifts for anyone. We are mired in a recession that shows no signs of ending in the foreseeable future. So many people have less disposable income this year. This is the perfect time to reflect on what Christmas is supposed to be about, which is love. Christmas is supposed to be about love loving your family, loving your neighbours, loving your colleagues, showing love to everybody. God is love. Jesus is love. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.Nowhere in the Bible does it say that you must spend all you earn and all the space on your credit cards on gifts for people. So don’t do it, especially in such an irresponsible and illogical manner, often practised by persons who have no money, no job, etc but somehow find a way to travel, shop and purchase excessive gifts.Here’s an example. I ran into a dude the other day I know is unemployed. He’s looking for work, can’t pay his bills, but tells me that he is going away! Duuuuh. Hello?? I don’t care if someone else is paying for your trip; wouldn’t it be better to tell that person to use that money on your delinquent rent, backed up Belco bill, etc?? How do people think? And then the landlord is the bad guy for evicting them before Christmas. I don’t think so. I think you get the point. In this example it’s about priorities.But back to the real meaning of Christmas.Instead of stressing about gift giving and gift buying, I submit to you that a better use of Jesus Christ’s birthday is in teaching our children, our families and ourselves in some cases what Christmas should really be about.Instead of having a lavish company Christmas party, where everybody eats, drinks and is merry, why not donate some of that money to feeding people who are starving, or helping a family that is struggling or giving it to a charity, or helping a friend you know is desperately in need of assistance? That’s far more Christ-like than renting out a room at a hotel or restaurant and everybody living it up and partying like it’s 1999 all over again!Instead of the traditional Christmas celebrations in organisations, how about reaching out and giving a cash gift to that employee who just had to be made redundant earlier this year, who is still not working or needs help paying off bills that racked up whilst they were unemployed?There are a ton of charities that are cash-strapped due to the recession and could use an injection of liquid capital. Why not have employees all chip in a few dollars, have the company match whatever the staff donate, democratically select a charity and make a donation?Why not donate to a senior citizens’ home or organise a company visit to the Extended Care Unit, singing Christmas carols to the sick, lame, infirmed or elderly spreading a bit of Christmas cheer?I can tell you from personal experience that this kind of giving is awesome and the givers actually get more out of it than the receivers. It is far better to give than to receive and the good feeling you get by giving of your time, talent and blessings to others is something that no material purchase for anyone can match.In remembering the King of Pop, bless his soul, the Jackson 5 had a Christmas CD back in the early 1970s (my mom walked all over New York trying to find it for me thanks mom) and one of the songs has words that go, ‘Give love on Christmas Day’. So my message to Bermuda, especially those of us who ‘have’, is to give love at Christmas. There are so many ways to give your love, show your love and help others. Choose one. Peace on Earth and goodwill to all mankind ... DJLT.