The Gifts of Christmas
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem . . . and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:1, 9-11
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,
Purchase, Audrey Love Charitable Foundation
Gift, 2013; Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1951.
This beautiful adoration group created in Germany by the Workshop of Hans Thoman, c. 1515-1520, is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum purchased the magi in 1951. In 2013 the sculpture of Jesus and Mary was found in an auction. Museum staff realized that they had once belonged to the same altarpiece and made arrangements to purchase them. In a 2014 announcement, curator C. Griffith Mann of the museum’s Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters announced that “for the first time since the group was separated in the nineteenth century, the Magi can once again direct their gifts to the Christ Child!” (https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2014/three-kings-day-reunion)
I love how the sculptor depicted Jesus reaching up to receive the gifts, just as we would see a child today reach up to receive them. Gift giving is one of the many joys of Christmas. I enjoyed searching for Christmas presents and Christmas gifts in the collections of the New York Public Library.
This photo of the children of a Mr. H. H. Tripp shows his children wrapping presents in 1936. The family lived near Dickens, Iowa, where Mr. Tripp operated his mother’s farm.
Hugo Oehmichen created the artwork for this postcard titled “Christmas Presents.”
The New York Public Library has an extensive collection of Christmas cards. This card showing shoppers carrying Christmas presents is from 1944.
Among the library’s collection is this Czech Christmas card depicting the magi. Isn’t it precious? The card proclaims, “Veselé Vánoce!” which is Czech for “Merry Christmas.”
When the magi arrived in Bethlehem to give gifts to Jesus, they were giving gifts to The Gift God sent to us. God’s precious Gift born in Bethlehem brought us the gifts of grace . . .
For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God . . .
Ephesians 2:8
. . . and eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
What wonderful gifts to share with your family this Christmas.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15
Photograph and Christmas cards courtesy of The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library.