“To be rich in admiration and free from envy, to rejoice greatly in the good of others, to love with such generosity of heart that your love is still a dear possession in absence or unkindness – these are the gifts which money cannot buy." — Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish novelist, poet, author of Treasure Island and the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

“Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men, and batteries not included.” – English Proverb

“Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.” — Pindar, Ancient Greek lyric poet from Thebes

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly.” - Andy Rooney, American radio and television writer

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” - Hamilton Wright Mabie, American essayist, critic

“Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” – Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old boy answering the question “What is love?”

“Every gift from a friend is a wish for your happiness.” — Richard Bach, American writer and author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull

"What you keep for yourself, you lose. What you give away, you keep forever." — Axel Munthe, Swedish physician and psychiatrist

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." — Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister

"For it is in giving that we receive…" — Saint Francis of Assisi, Italian Catholic friar and preacher

“One must know not just how to accept a gift, but with what grace to share it.” — Maya Angelou, American author and actress

"A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great" — Proverbs 18:16

"Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."

— Oren Arnold, American novelist

The funny…

“Remember that the important thing is not what you give, or how you wrap it. The important thing, during this very special time of year, is that you save the receipt.” — Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize winner American author and humorist

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph." — Shirley Temple, American actress and singer

"Christmas is the season when you buy this year's gifts with next year's money." — Author unknown

"Let me see if I’ve got this Santa business straight. You say he wears a beard, has no discernible source of income and flies to cities all over the world under cover of darkness? You sure this guy isn’t laundering illegal drug money?" — Tom Armstrong, American cartoonist

“Christmas begins about the first of December with an office party and ends when you finally realize what you spent, around April fifteenth of the next year.” – P.J. O’Rourke, American writer and humorist

“Scientists have now discovered the reason for post-holiday depression: No more presents until your birthday.” — Melanie White

From literature and the movies…

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?”

- Dr. Seuss, American writer and cartoonist

(Photo: This Nov. 2012 photo provided by Universal Orlando Resort shows actors from the theme park’s live holiday show, “Grinchmas Wholiday Spectacular,” inspired by the classic story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” AP Photo/Universal)

"There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, Christmas among the rest." … "And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!"

— Ebenezer Scrooge’s nephew Fred in "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, English writer

(Photo: Barry Howard as Jacob Marley, leans over Tommy Steele as Ebenezer Scrooge, below, as they perform a scene on stage as he joins the cast of Scrooge at the London Palladium. Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)

"All right, you go back and tell them that the New York State Supreme Court rules there’s no Santa Claus. It’s all over the papers. The kids read it and they don’t hang up their stockings. Now what happens to all the toys that are supposed to be in those stockings? Nobody buys them. The toy manufacturers are going to like that; so they have to lay off a lot of their employees, union employees. Now you got the CIO and the AF of L against you and they’re going to adore you for it and they’re going to say it with votes. Oh, and the department stores are going to love you too and the Christmas card makers and the candy companies. Ho ho. Henry, you’re going to be an awful popular fella.” — Campaign Manager Charles Halloran to Judge Harper in ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ courtroom scene (1947)

Santa Claus: [To Ralphie] How about a nice er...football?

Ralphie: [As narrator] Football? What is a football? Without a will my voice squeaked out "Football"

Santa Claus: ...okay, get him out of here.

Ralphie: [As narrator] A Football!? Oh no! What was I doing!!? Wake up stupid! Wake up!

Ralphie: [As child] NO! [climbs back up exit slide] No. No. I want an official Red Ryder carbine action 200-range-shot model air rifle! [smiles hopefully at Santa]

Santa Claus: [to Ralphie] You'll shoot your eye out kid. Merry Christmas! HO! HO! HO!

Ralphie: [smile fades to shockness by what Santa said. Santa pushes Ralphie down the exit slide] NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!*****

- From 'A Christmas Story' (1983)