Giving in secret is a valuable spiritual practice. Why? Because it gives us the benefit of showing charity, love, and kindness without a public benefit, or selfish personal advantage. Giving in secret allows us to give graciously for the sake of generosity alone; and exercising this activity can help us realize that giving–even as a private practice–is a gift in itself for everyone involved. It is a practice and modeling of grace.
The tradition of giving in secret, especially to the needy, spread worldwide among Christians becasue of the influence St. Nicholas. That is, Nicholas of Myra, a saint, and Bishop of Myra(Demre, in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey). c. 270 AD-December 6, 347 AD.
This video was created and sent as a Christmas greeting from a business associate, Ed Redding (of R&D Communications) and I just had to share it with you. It’s a wonderful 5 minute video that makes Santa Claus, and the spirit of Christmas come alive, for people of all ages. Please pass it along.