--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If what it takes for you this year to be…" description: "\"“If what it takes for you this year to be present in this sacred, thin place, to feel the breath and presence of a Holy God, is to forgo the cookies an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/shauna-niequist-3042_christmas_if-what-it-takes-for-you-this-year-to-be_2688702.jpg" --- # If what it takes for you this year to be present in this… ![“If what it takes for you this year to be present in this sacred, thin place, to feel the breath and presence of a Holy God, is to forgo the cookies and the cards and the rushing and the lists, then we’ll be all right with cookies from the store and a few less gifts. It would be a great loss for…” quote by Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/shauna-niequist-3042_christmas_if-what-it-takes-for-you-this-year-to-be_2688702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/shauna-niequist-3042_christmas_if-what-it-takes-for-you-this-year-to-be_2688702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/shauna-niequist-3042_christmas_if-what-it-takes-for-you-this-year-to-be_2688702.jpg) > ““If what it takes for you this year to be present in this sacred, thin place, to feel the breath and presence of a Holy God, is to forgo the cookies and the cards and the rushing and the lists, then we’ll be all right with cookies from the store and a few less gifts. It would be a great loss for you to miss this season, the soul of it, because you’re too busy pushing and rushing. And it would be a great loss if the people in your life receive your perfectly wrapped gifts, but not your love or your full attention or your spirit. This is my prayer for us, that we would give and receive the most important gifts this season—the palpable presence of a Holy God, the kindness of well-chosen words, the generosity of spirit and soul. My prayer is that what you’ve lost, and what I’ve lost this year, will fade a little bit in the beauty of this season, that for a few moments at least, what is right and good and worth believing will outshine all the darkness, within us and around us. And I hope that someone who loves you gives you a really cute scarf. Merry Christmas.”” [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True presence and love matter more than material gifts; pause, breathe, and cherish spiritual connection. **In simple terms:** Spiritual presence outweighs materialism. Key Takeaway Prioritize love and attention over gifts. Themes spirituality gratitude presence generosity Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational seasonal When to use this quote - family gatherings - holiday planning - personal meditation - gift giving Key Concepts mindfulness holiness seasonal reflection Questions to Reflect On - How can you create space for presence during busy seasons? - What non‑material gifts can you offer loved ones? A Different Perspective May be hard to let go of commercial expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-spirit-1175158/) [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Generosity of spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity-of-spirit/) [Generosity Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity-spirit-294706/) [Gifts Season](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gifts-season-870056/) [God Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-kindness-490051/) [Holy god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-god/) [People in your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-in-your-life/) [Prayer Receive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-receive-2640094/) [Spirit and soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-and-soul/) [Too busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-busy/) ## Related quotes > [May the gifts of the season...peace, hope, love, health and happiness be yours throughout the New Year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-the-gifts-of-the-season-peace-hope-love-health-and-happiness-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wishing you the gifts of the season...peace, joy, hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wishing-you-the-gifts-of-the-season-peace-joy-hope/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whatever you ask for in a prayer... you will receive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/whatever-you-ask-for-in-a-prayer-you-will-receive/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-r-davis/and-whatever-you-ask-in-prayer-you-will-receive-if-you-have-faith/) [Lynn R. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-r-davis/) > [God grant that each of us here today may so live that all among us, and with us, may see, not us, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-b-lee/god-grant-that-each-of-us-here-today-may-so-live-that-all-among-us/) [Harold B. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-b-lee/) > [The purpose of prayer is not to receive what you asked for, but to strengthen your relationship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-purpose-of-prayer-is-not-to-receive-what-you-asked-for-but-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whatever adventure you are into, whatever you are doing, your attention should be on your spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/whatever-adventure-you-are-into-whatever-you-are-doing-your-attention/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Your spirit is to be connected with your attention. Your spirit which is in your heart has to come in your attention. So who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/your-spirit-is-to-be-connected-with-your-attention-your-spirit-which/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Now the best thing is to put attention to your spirit. If you start putting your attention to spirit, the sweetness of the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/now-the-best-thing-is-to-put-attention-to-your-spirit-if-you-start/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Your attention has to be on your Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/your-attention-has-to-be-on-your-spirit/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [The attention has to be on the Spirit. And that cannot be there unless and until something happens within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-attention-has-to-be-on-the-spirit-and-that-cannot-be-there-unless/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [The most important thing that everyone should bring to the dining experience is a certain generosity of spirit. Just remember that there are two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-olsen/the-most-important-thing-that-everyone-should-bring-to-the-dining/) [John Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-olsen/) > [Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/wine-to-me-is-passion-it-s-family-and-friends-it-s-warmth-of-heart/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [“Nothing gets in the way of love. Generosity of spirit empowers us to perform miracles and wonders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/nothing-gets-in-the-way-of-love-generosity-of-spirit-empowers-us-to/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [“It is a privilege to help children learn the true meaning of Christmas, which is gratitude to God for sending us his son Jesus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-guinn/it-is-a-privilege-to-help-children-learn-the-true-meaning-of/) [Jeff Guinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-guinn/) ## More by Shauna Niequist > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“We decide where the time goes. There's so much freedom in that, and so much responsibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/we-decide-where-the-time-goes-there-s-so-much-freedom-in-that-and-so/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“When things fall apart, the broken pieces allow all sorts of things to enter, and one of them is the presence of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-things-fall-apart-the-broken-pieces-allow-all-sorts-of-things-to/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“The world is alive, blinking and clicking, winking at us slyly, inviting us to get up and dance to the music that’s been playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/the-world-is-alive-blinking-and-clicking-winking-at-us-slyly-inviting/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I have always, essentially, been waiting. Waiting to become something else, waiting to be that person I always thought I was on the verge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-have-always-essentially-been-waiting-waiting-to-become-something/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I am still surprised on a regular basis at the love I feel for the spirit of God, the deep respect and emotion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-am-still-surprised-on-a-regular-basis-at-the-love-i-feel-for-the/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“...now that I am a mother, I understand what Mother's Day is about: it's about looking through our lives and recognizing the act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/now-that-i-am-a-mother-i-understand-what-mother-s-day-is-about-it-s/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“We have, each one of us, been entrusted with one life, made up of days and hours and minutes. We're spending them according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/we-have-each-one-of-us-been-entrusted-with-one-life-made-up-of-days/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Years ago, Aaron and I were talking with the pastor of a fast-growing church, and another friend, a more seasoned pastor. The first pastor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/years-ago-aaron-and-i-were-talking-with-the-pastor-of-a-fast-growing/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I believe deeply that God does his best work in our lives during times of great heartbreak and loss, and I believe that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-believe-deeply-that-god-does-his-best-work-in-our-lives-during/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“one of the chief aspects of mothering is prayer,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/one-of-the-chief-aspects-of-mothering-is-prayer/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Our friend Ian, an Episcopal priest, taught us something I’d never heard, something that shaped all of us: on a rainy night, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/our-friend-ian-an-episcopal-priest-taught-us-something-i-d-never/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“When you haven’t yet had your heart really broken, the gospel isn’t about death and rebirth. It’s about life and more life. It’s about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-you-haven-t-yet-had-your-heart-really-broken-the-gospel-isn-t/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Present over perfect living is real over image, connecting over comparing, meaning over mania, depth over artifice. Present over perfect living is the risky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/present-over-perfect-living-is-real-over-image-connecting-over/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) [Explore all 141 Shauna Niequist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) ## More Christmas quotes > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/) [Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If what it takes for you this year to be present in this sacred, thin place, to feel the breath and presence of a Holy God, is to forgo the cookies and the cards and the rushing and the lists, then we’ll be all right with cookies from the store and a few less gifts. It would be a great loss for you to miss this season, the soul of it, because you’re too busy pushing and rushing. And it would be a great loss if the people in your life receive your perfectly wrapped gifts, but not your love or your full attention or your spirit. This is my prayer for us, that we would give and receive the most important gifts this season—the palpable presence of a Holy God, the kindness of well-chosen words, the generosity of spirit and soul. My prayer is that what you’ve lost, and what I’ve lost this year, will fade a little bit in the beauty of this season, that for a few moments at least, what is right and good and worth believing will outshine all the darkness, within us and around us. And I hope that someone who loves you gives you a really cute scarf. 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