It is also the day on which churches open the boxes of money and goods for the poor donated by parishioners. The exchange of gifts has remained a central feature of the holiday season the world over. It has become so significant that most merchants count on making a very large proportion of their annual sales during the period from late November to December 24. So important has the Christmas selling period become that many stores fail to show a profit at the end of the year if Christmas sales are low. Either in an offering plate or basket.
Ushers collect the offering.
All of our gifts and talents come from the Lord. We are like a ship without a sail. The Holy Spirit is our guide and our teacher. It is the most important gift I can give you. So if I can give you only one gift this is the one that I want you to have.