The tradition of White Gift Sunday has its roots in a small Methodist church in Ohio in 1904. What began as a humble way to reflect on the love and devotion of the giver and not the value of the gift has grown into today’s white gift services in many churches across several denominations. The story is told that a minister’s wife initiated the idea to solve the problem of inequity of gifts given at the Sunday school Christmas party. Instead of focusing on receiving gifts, the focus shifted to bringing gifts to Jesus that could in turn be shared with people around the world who did not have much. All the gifts would come wrapped in plain white paper, so that no one would know which was an expensive gift and which was a more modest one. No one would feel ashamed of their gift and everyone would share in the joy of giving to others.
Consecon United Church observes White Gift Sunday on the second Sunday in the season of Advent. In keeping with the spirit of the first White Gift service, all those attending are encouraged to bring a gift or a donation to the food bank wrapped in white paper. We also erect another tree designated the "Sock Tree" which parishoners decorate with gifts of new socks or mittens to be distributed by the local food bank to those needing them with the onset of colder weather.