Back in 2014, IKEA produced a long Christmas commercial which you can still watch on YouTube. It’s in Spanish with English subtitles.

It’s about an experiment in which children are asked to write a letter to the “Three Kings,” the counterpart to Santa Claus in Spain, saying what they want for Christmas. They have no trouble telling the Three Kings they’ve been good and letting them know what they want: games, toys, musical instruments.

When they’re done, the children are asked to write another letter, this one to their parents, telling their parents what they want from them. This time the children are quiet and thoughtful. 

The folks conducting the experiment then shared the letters with the parents.

“Dear Mom and Dad, I want you to spend more time with me.”

“I’d like it if you paid a little more attention to us.”

“I’d like it if you would have dinner with us more often.”

“I want us to be together for one whole day.”

“I want you to play, mama, I want you to play cowboys with me.”

Some of the parents are overcome with emotion as they read the letters their children have written. The narrator asks, “Are you surprised?”

The parents all admit, “Not really, they have too many toys already. You can’t fill a vacuum with a toy.”

One mom said, “Imagine, you want to give them the best you can, and the best is yourself!”

Then comes the twist. The researchers ask the kids, if you could send only one of the letters, to the three kings or to your parents, which one would you send?

Every one of the children said if they could only send one letter, it would be the one to their parents. 

Does that surprise anyone?

Then why would it surprise you that the God who created you, the God who is the source of all joy and wisdom and love, would give you the gift of himself?

God’s greatest gift is available to you if you just believe. 

IKEA, The Other Letter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ3ePGr8Q7k