The upheavals of adolescence silenced 'A Christmas Carol' for a few years. I became a firebrand atheist. Christmas - humbug! Too commercial! Then I became an agnostic. Christmas was a pro-forma affair basically a chore. Buy mother a book dad a new tie my brother and sister small gifts. Pretend thanks for the fountain pens and shirts I received.

From the time that I can remember I worked to make money - either baby-sitting or one year wrapping gifts at a department store at Christmas so I could have my own money.

I had eight brothers and sisters. Every Christmas my younger brother Bobby would wake up extra early and open everybody's presents - everybody's - so by the time the rest of us got up all the gifts were shredded ribbons off torn open and thrown aside.

I love giving gifts and I love receiving them. I really like giving little kids extravagant gifts. You see their little faces light up and they get excited. If it's a really good gift I love receiving it like jewels small islands.

This truth is a remedy against spiritual pride namely that none should account himself better before God than others though perhaps adorned with greater gifts and endowments.

Some artists shrink from self-awareness fearing that it will destroy their unique gifts and even their desire to create. The truth of the matter is quite opposite.

Adolescence is when girls experience social pressure to put aside their authentic selves and to display only a small portion of their gifts.

Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other.

My chief gifts are - naturally good at all sports with a raw talent for pretty much everything which if nurtured could develop into improper talent.

I'm a romantic and I like guys to bring flowers and buy some gifts - not expensive things just romantic things.