The Importance of "Togetherness"
12 Baskets Full
A Family Basket – for those at home
As I ponder on what the word family embodies, my mind is prompted by the following quote by Walt Whitman: “We were together. I forget the rest.” [1]
Though this line is famous for its romantic connotation, I cannot help but relate it to my own life as I file through former family moments…
The festive season especially can quickly become brim-full of chaos, clutter, and commotion – last minute Christmas shopping, family gatherings, meal-making, etc – resulting in “THINGS” becoming more prevalent than “TOGETHERNESS”. The irony, I personally find, lies in the fact that year after year, I never truly remember the exact way that the Christmas table was laid out, nor the elaborate wrapping paper, nor whether we ran out of salad for the braai. On the contrary, what I do remember, year after year is exactly who I was with.
In saying this, we want to encourage you to pack a basket during this festive season that encourages or enables families to spend quality time together. In the words of the American First Lady in 1992, Barbera Bush, “I think togetherness is a very important ingredient to family life.” [2]
Let’s get practical!
Games for Outside
As adaption to technology and Covid restrictions has heightened, why not find and pack a fun family game that can be played outside. You can even get creative by making up a game, writing the instructions out, and adding that to your basket for others to follow and play!
Sunblock
Always a must, this item is precious to parents who want to protect their children from the hot summer sun! And if you’re unable to purchase sunblock, a Christmas-themed sunhat would be just as much of a blessing.
Sweet Treats
No matter your age or gender, I believe we can all agree that the festive season is made even more festive with sugar! Whether you choose to buy something sweet from the store or make something at home, why not pair your sweet treat up with a personal message or short poem.
Candles, Fairy lights or Battery Powered lights
As a South African, one of the moments of ‘chaos’ we often face is last-minute loadshedding! One way to counteract this is to bless something with candles (and matches) or fairy lights (it is Christmas anyway) or a battery-powered light (you never know if the others are charged until it’s too late).
Ready-made Meals
For large families, busy parents, or studying students, the days leading up to Christmas may seem manic! It is often such a comfort to know that the one thing they do not have to worry about is what is for dinner. Adding ready-made meals or even a variety of snacks to a Family Basket may mean more than you know.
The Gift of Serving
Last but certainly not least, the greatest gift over the festive season should be the gift of serving those around you before they even ask! This may not be as simple as packing something neatly in a basket, but the power of serving can really lift a weight off the shoulders of families this month. Some examples include:
1) Babysitting – so that parents can have some time to themselves.
2) Offering others lifts – so that less money is spent on petrol or buses, but rather on families and other people in need.
3) Cleaning houses – one less thing that parents and families must do (and in my opinion the kindest act of physical service).
In short, let us remember that there is more vigor in togetherness than in that of ‘things’. Which do you remember more, and which do you put more emphasis on?
My prayer for you derives from the letters to the Colossians from Paul the Apostle: “I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else.” [3]
[1] https://whitmanarchive.org/published/LG/1891/poems/41
[3] Colossians 2:2 (MSG)
Written by Ruth Jaehne
