To Gift or Not to Gift, that is the question?

Well, here we are again at that time of year...the holiday season.  Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas or something else, you will find yourself in the mall buying for others.

OR will you?

Many people are opting for the "gift lottery" option, whereby everyone in a family or group puts their name in a hat and you pull out a name for someone you have to buy for...keeping it under a certain $$ amount.

I personally think this is smart.  Not just because it is a time-saver, but also because you can feasibly up the maximum $$ value of the gift you buy, therefore buying something that is useful or wanted  by the recipient.

Obviously everything is not about the money spent...sometimes the best gifts are inexpensive or even FREE, but not always, and to get creative is really the name of the game.

My best gift I ever gave was to my Grandpa when I was 17.  I found an old black and white negative of him in his band uniform (he played in the Vancouver Firefighters Band in the 1930's), and I printed it on large 11" X 17" photo-paper, then hand colored it (I found out all the particulars from Grandma).  It was the first time I really saw him well up...he was so touched and I was too.  Best part was, it cost me next to nothing, but my time and energy!  So simple.

But if you have to buy, I always ask myself the following questions before putting down the cash:

• What has this person been talking about lately that they may like?
• What is something they need?
• What is helpful? (ie. gift certificate for a house cleaning company, spring gardening)
• Is it appropriate? (ie. they may want a video game, but they really need new clothes, etc)
• Do they just want to support charities?  (ie, some people prefer to give to a charity then to get something themselves)

The biggest thing to remember is that it is not for you, that you are buying for.  The holidays are for others and appreciating them and their personal choices.

My main point to this whole blog is consider the reason for the holidays in the first place.

Is it not to celebrate a family/group coming together, to appreciate  the people in your life, and to make note of a special religious or cultural time of the year?

Maybe gifts are overrated, and really we need to just appreciate the little things in life, like who you surround yourself with and making the time to visit each other.

Whatever your reason for celebrating this season, give the gift of you and your time and attention.  This is more valuable than anything!

Happy holidays!

Liz

Please let me know what you are doing for the holidays and do you do gift-exchanges or other forms of gift giving?