If you are utilizing a social conferencing platform to connect with your students, welcome them as they join the group, and get them thinking about gift giving.

• Name some different times when you’re likely to receive gifts. (Possible answers may include: birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc.)
• Would you rather receive gifts at the same time as other people, or by yourself? Why? (Answers will vary but may include: Being the only one receiving gifts [like on a birthday] means you get more things but having everyone else receive gifts as well [like at Christmas] allows you to share in everyone’s excitement.)

As exciting as it can be to receive gifts, it can be even more rewarding to give things away. Think about a time when you gave a gift to someone.

• What did you give to someone and when? (Accept all reasonable answers.)
• What kind of emotions went into giving that gift? (Students may talk about possible anxiety as they tried to find or make the perfect gift and waited for the person to receive it. Their emotions probably included excitement, hope that it would be well received, self-satisfaction, joy, etc.)

Seeing someone’s smile when they receive your gift is exciting! Knowing that you have been able to share your joy with someone else is often the most fun of all. The students in this video learned how rewarding it can be to give gifts to a classmate in need.

Share this video [3:15]:
Struggling teen surprised with unexpected gift from caring classmates | Humankind

• What are some of the ways you could tell these students were excited to give these gifts to Dylan? (Possible answers might include: They paid attention to what his needs were and were anxious to do something about that, they presented it to him in an excited way, they cheered as he pulled out each gift, they took pictures, and encouraged him with their words.)
• Dylan’s classmates were cheerful, generous givers in other ways, too. Can you name some? (Answers might include their friendship, they give him a ride home and buy him lunch as often as they can, they make him feel part of their group.)
• Do you think any of these students felt like they had to give Dylan gifts? What makes you think that? (Although most will think that all gave gladly, some may say there may have some unspoken peer pressure that made a few feel as if they had to participate to be an accepted part of the group.)

Giving should be a joyful experience! But it’s only rewarding when it is something that really comes from our hearts. Today’s lesson gives us a better idea of what kind of giving God really wants.