This time of year I find many opportunities to try to help my six-year-old son believe that it’s really better to give than to receive. I wish I could say that I’ve been successful; perhaps the joy of giving is more of an adult thing, like coffee.

I am pleased to share a gift to you from MakeMusic! We’ve created a collection of holiday-themed pieces that you can download today as Finale 2012 files. In addition to holiday titles we’ve shared in the past, we’ve added three piano solos in a ragtime style, six primer-level piano pieces, six instrumental duets, three classical guitar solos, and a vocal version of “O Holy Night.” What’s more, we’ve configured all the music to play back Finale’s premium Garritan sounds. Finale 2012’s new ability to switch sound libraries when necessary will allow these files to play back even on computers where Garritan sounds are not installed.

How might you share this music? You could print the pieces out to perform. You could save PDFs and/or audio files to email to others. You could even send the Finale files themselves to any of your computer-owning musician friends, even if they don’t own Finale: They could use them by simply downloading the new free trial version of Finale 2012. For 30 days the trial version will let them do everything you can do with the files except playback with the premium Garritan sounds. (They would enjoy high-quality playback with other built-in sounds.)

But enough about software.

A few years ago, my mom provided a child with a quality student guitar – in my name – through a charitable organization. I was more touched by that gift than any other I have received. Giving where it’s really needed is especially rewarding.

Giving the gift of a musical performance, either for loved ones at home, or someone else’s loved ones at the senior center, is a great way to give that doesn’t cost us anything but our time, and often produces more joy that any of the gifts we’ve scurried to purchase as the clock ticks on our holiday countdown.

So it’s my hope that you find a way to share some music – any music – with others this holiday season. And enjoy some good coffee, too.