It is that time of year when we start looking at all the people in our lives that we would like to show appreciation to with a gift. Instead of the usual enthusiasm of gift giving however, you may be dreading the holidays if your wallet doesn't want to accommodate the generosity you feel in your heart. Don't despair! With a little ingenuity, you can give the people you care about a gift they will never forget.
The "Love Box": I came up with this idea many years ago when our daughter was just a baby. We were a new family, excited about life, and broke. I wanted to give my husband the most fabulous gift on the planet...except we had barely two nickels to rub together. So I came up with the idea of decorating a box containing slips of paper that stated all the reasons why I loved my husband. Each piece of paper had a single thought written on it, folded in half and placed in the box. The reasons were varied from the sappy sentimental, to the humorous and factual. It may be as simple as "I love your smile" to "I love the way you hold me". Be creative, but don't think that every reason has to be logical or earth shattering in their meanings. Maybe it is something like "I love the quirky way you brush your teeth", "I love that you are a terrific cook", or "I will never forget when you saw how overwhelmed I was looking after the kids- you babysat and sent me out for a girls night with my friends". Even physical attributes can be included. The thing to remember is that the combined notes will become a unique impression of how this person has affected your life.
A Cherished Photo: Pictures can bring back so many memories. A few years ago my father wanted to show me in his own personal way, the father-daughter relationship that he cherished and missed with me. He had remembered a photo taken of him and me when I was quite young (maybe 5). He had my mother go through all the old pictures, and then had it duplicated and put in a frame for me. It nearly brought me to tears. With today's technology, duplicating a picture is not as expensive as it once was and there are many places to help you with this too. Don't feel you need to buy an expensive frame either- look in discount stores, craft stores, even garage sales. A frame can be jazzed up with some paint or other items at your disposal, but also consider that simple is sometimes more powerful, in which case you may be better off with a simple black frame. An inexpensive white mat can also add more impact to your picture.
Offer Your Services: This can be a very meaningful gift. It could be shovelling a sidewalk all winter for the person on your list who is a little less mobile. Cooking meals for that someone who has a crazy weekday evening shuttling children to sports or music lessons, can be a godsend. Grocery shopping is also another possibility. Maybe the service you offer is something that you are particularly good at- be it gardening, refinishing antiques, or carpentry.
Handmade Gifts: If you are crafty in any way, use your talents. A knitted scarf that comes from the heart will surely be loved. A chair from the flea market or second hand store can have new life breathed into it with some paint and a new cushion, making a cute and useful gift. Embroidering inexpensive napkins can transform them into designer rivals. A tacky vase from the thrift store can be spray painted into elegance. Spray paint pine cones silver and tie a loop of fishing line on each to make the perfect tree decorations. Make an adorable stuffed toy out of remnant fabric. Varnish a driftwood piece to make a stunning show piece to hang on a wall. Put a collection of your favorite cherished family recipes together in a small album. Get your creative juices flowing!The Classic "Mix Tape": Create a mix of your favorite Christmas music and burn it to a CD. Or if you like, create a mix of other music that you think your recipient would like to be introduced to. You could also get creative with creating a label for the CD case to add that extra touch. Be sure to include a song list to help the receiver familiarize themselves and find their favorite songs.
One of the best things about this type of gift giving...you put a lot of YOU into the gift!
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