What’s Under Your Tree
How many hours do you spend shopping for and wrapping all those gifts? You know, the ones for your children, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, grandparents, teachers, friends, the kids friends and oh yeah, don’t forget the bus driver and the mail man. Sometimes it seems like a contest to see who can have the most presents under the tree, like that makes it look better or something. Personally, I am just the opposite. Don’t misunderstand me, I love to give gifts. They just don’t have to be so elaborate like I once thought. I can remember wondering if I was going to have to take out a small loan just to buy Chirstmas gifts or skip all December bills even. And I have since found out that people really do this. What?!!
Make It! They’ll Love It!
A few years ago I started gifting baked goods or homemade items and to my surprise my family and friends love it! I’ve had friends ask what kind of “goodies” I’m making for Christmas this year. And some even put in special requests. I know that seems strange, even rude, to request a certain gift, but I don’t mind. I have weird friends, they do weird things like that. And doing this has even made me some money a few times. I’ve had people ask me to make things for them to gift to others and pay me for it. Now, that’s what I’m talking about! Making a profit from a gift, THAT is amazing!
If you aren’t very crafty or you don’t have ideas, check out Pinterest. There are tons of ideas there. Who doesn’t love Pinterest?
Those Hard-to-Buy-For People
As my children became older, it was harder for me to think of gifts for them. At least things I could afford. When they had children, I thought it would be neat to gift them date nights. My kids know they can call me at any time if they need a sitter, but we usually don’t bring all the kids at once. That can get a little crazy. If you have several small ones, you’ll understand what I mean. However, as young parents you may also know how difficult it is to get away for a date night when you have several little ones. I’ve made it a point to be available for that because I think time away is important and that is one of the best gifts I can give my kids. You might even offer to pay if you’re feeling really generous.
You could take this further and do a similar thing with friends who have children. There are also other simple things. My best friend loves Sundrop and Snickers. Guess what she gets? You got it! And she loves it, everytime. There’s also gifts of time and labor. Clean your mom’s house or garage, wash her car, run errands for someone. Sometimes the smallest gestures can be the biggest gifts and the ones they’ll always remember. I call these acts of kindness, not necessarily gifts. But, in a pinch, you could use them as gift ideas.
It’s the Thought That Counts
Be thoughtful. If you feel stressed about giving gifts, then you shouldn’t even bother. There’s no point, really. Giving should be from the heart. After all, it’s the thought that counts.