My gift suggestion for an original Christmas gift for a loved one is a calendar. It can be any calendar according to the needs and inclinations of the one who will receive it. It does not matter if it is a wall calendar, a pocket version or a personal planner, as long as it is physical, visible and keeps on giving throughout the year.
Regardless of the version, I would insist the recipient use the calendar as something to write on, record events and plan out the year, and not as not a wall ornament. The gift might even include a note explaining how best to use the calendar this way since many have never been exposed to this usage, especially in our digital age.
A Statement About Time
I like the calendar because it makes a strong statement. It is so contrary to the jumbled deconstruction of narratives of our postmodernity. It proclaims continuity and provision. It is the contrary of the frenetic intemperance and impulsiveness of our times. The calendar invites one to deliberation and purpose. It unifies the past, present and future.
Indeed, the calendar presents the whole year in a single format. It forces you to think in the context of a continuous narrative of days, weeks and months.
It makes you think about time and the proper use of it. Indeed, it reminds us of our eternal destiny when we will be judged by the good use of our time here below.
Tradition and Order
I also like the calendar because it is an instrument of tradition. It participates in tradition’s role of taking from the past to build the future. Thus, calendars allow you to look back at what you have done and post forward the plans for the future. You can mark special days that are part of your own and your family’s history. It later serves as a record of what happened over the year.
When well used, the calendar is also an element of order in our lives. Order is that state of things where everything functions according to its nature and end. Thus, we can use the calendar as a tool to cultivate good habits, set priorities and discipline our lives to fulfil our purpose in life.
As Russell Kirk states, “Order is the first need of the soul.” Our souls crave order, which allows us to dominate our fallen nature and, therefore, act as we are supposed to act according to our nature and end. The calendar aids this process by restraining our unbridled passions while opening up our possibilities for organized action.
Adapting to the Person
I must insist on the physicality of the calendar. The well-used calendar must allow you to mark and write on it at will. That is what makes it personal, unique and endearing.
The calendar should reflect the personality of the owner. There is no one-calendar-fits-all selection that will satisfy everyone.
Thus, the possibilities for variety are endless. A reflective person will appreciate space for writing down impressions and observations. A more lively person will like a calendar that facilitates interaction and events. Artistic persons will enjoy those that provide pictures and occasions for wonder and admiration.
Themed or picture calendars can inspire us to admire the things that appeal to us. Religious or liturgical calendars provide a structure of saint days and feasts that help us turn toward God.
The more serious calendar keepers will cherish a daily planner that adds layers of structure to their lives. These detailed ledgers will provide a sense of organization and security.
Organic Solutions
Regardless of which calendar you use, let people develop their own ways of keeping track of their time. Such flexibility is refreshing in a world where everything is artificially organized and pre-planned.
This Christmas, give the timely gift of a calendar, perhaps with an explanation on how to use it to put order in one’s life. Give it some thought.
A calendar is not for everyone, but don’t assume people will automatically reject it. You will be surprised at how many people (even young people) are looking for a bit of order in their chaotic lives. The right calendar just might be a good option.
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The featured image is courtesy of Pixabay.
