Finding the Perfect Gift
Last week I talked about being in the season of giving. I hope you don't mind but this week I wanted to almost elaborate a bit more on that. If you celebrate any of the winter holidays chances are you are looking for gift ideas or shopping for gifts, sending out cards, baking several different treats. It truly is a busy time of year, but don't let the true spirit of Christmas get lost in the process. That goes for all year long as well. I think it is important to remember that it is the thought behind a gift that makes it truly worth something. I know I cant speak for everyone, and not everyone has quite the same size heart I do, but I think in general the meaning behind our gifts is much more important. I wanted to take today's post to talk about that a bit more, and even offer some suggestions along the way if you are stuck, and stick some pictures of my favorite holiday memories in as well! I know this may not seem like a topic that fits with my blog, but once you reach the end I am sure you will see why it is.
Let's start with physical gifts. Maybe you are out shopping and looking for the very perfect gift for the person that means the very most in the world to you. To many I think the bigger the price tag, the more it says "I love you," but I personally do not agree with this. To be quite frank the gift I spent the very least on this year is the one I am most excited to give. My suggestion is to look for something that really just speaks to you in regard to that person. Don't just text them and ask what they want. Put thought into what you are purchasing. Maybe they are into cooking and you want to get something that has to do with that. Instead of just grabbing the first cookbook you see and throwing a spatula with it, maybe log onto a site where you can get something personalized with them such as a baking pan with their name etched into the bottom (shout out to Danielle who gave me something like that for Christmas last year). Etsy.com is a great place for things like that. I remember last year I bought personalized Christmas tree ornaments for my bosses' families and they both absolutely loved them (especially their wives) and I got so much praise for them. They weren't expensive but that just shows you that when you put a little thought into things, that goes a very long way!
So what if you are still stumped and just cannot think of the perfect gift for a friend or family member? Have you ever considered making something? As I mentioned already the gift I am most excited to give is the least expensive of the bunch. This is because I actually made the gift, and one part of it needed to be purchased. I am not going to go into too many details here because the recipient does read my posts and I really want to keep it a surprise. Baking is an extremely popular thing to do during the holidays. There are a ton of cookies, candies, breads, and many other things you can make as gifts. If you are not a good baker/cook you can always buy mixes and just wrap up the finished product in a pretty bag and bow. Maybe you can make a beautiful handmade card with more importantly a lovely message full of sentiment inside. A few years ago I made homemade pickles from the plethora of cucumbers I grew in my garden that summer and gave them to my grandma and aunts. The year after that I printed out a poem my grandma left for my mom and aunts after she passed and tied it to a cardinal ornament and gave one to each of my aunts and mom. A small handmade gift with a ton of sentiment behind it. That truly is all that matters.
So what if you still can't find the right gift and maybe you are not very good at making things yourself? What else may make the perfect gift? Well a little back story here before I get to my point. One of my very best friends, Danielle made a lovely suggestion this week. It is the funniest thing because we literally talk every day for most of the day. We know each other so well at this point so buying gifts should be easy right? Wrong. Every year we always struggle to pick out the best gifts for each other. Danielle had the best idea that instead of just buying gifts for each other from now on we will just instead go to a nice dinner together for Christmas instead. Instead of spending money on a bunch of gifts we probably don't even need, we will spend that money on a nice meal where, more importantly, we can spend time together. My entire point in telling that story is to tell you that your time is one of the best gifts you can give. Do you ever watch those videos of military parents coming home to surprise their kids? Especially the ones that take place during the holidays. In that moment the child in his father or mother's arms does not care what might be wrapped in a pretty box under the Christmas tree. They care about the time they are having with their parent. The precious time spent in their arms, but also the likely limited amount of time they have before they are apart again. If you are anything like me you can't watch one of those videos without crying. Time is one thing we cannot purchase any more of. Time is invisible, but somehow we live our lives revolved around it. Use it wisely and remember it very much is a gift.
I hope I was able to help you out just a little if you are struggling to find the perfect gift for someone in your life. Overall I just want everyone to remember that it isn't the physical content of the gift that matters, it is the thought behind it. The holidays can truly be a struggle for everyone I know that, so why not use the money more wisely. Why not buy a smaller more thought out gift for someone, rather than just grabbing another boring pre-made gift set you see at a department store. Maybe put together a nice little gift basket of your own for someone so it is more personalized and most likely not nearly as expensive. Get creative and genuinely put some thought into the gifts you want to give this year. The most memorable holidays are the ones spent with the ones we love. Sure there are probably gifts that stand out as well, but truly think about the reason they stand out. I am guessing it is because of the meaning the gift had for you, not the price tag. Christmas is all about the spirit we hold in our hearts, not the amount of money we spend.
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