The tradition of giving is an old one, it started way back before the biblical times. Somewhere in 336 AD the idea of merging giving gifts and Jesus’ birth came into fruition. It was used to symbolise the gifts that were given to Jesus by the three wise men. It used to be a time for families and friends to get together and remember all the things they were grateful for; to eat, smile, laugh and be merry. Gifts were a sign of gratitude for having that person in our lives.
In today’s society of materialism through consumerism, how do we give the perfect gift without trying to bestow power, money or any hidden agenda? How do we just say thank you?
True love is the gift of giving not the love of receiving.
The gift of giving should never be a chore, it must come from the heart. We should give with no thought of getting anything back ourselves because we love that person and we want them to know it. To show them, we have taken the time to search out the perfect gift, wrapped it carefully in shiny paper and made sure they had it to open on one of the most magical days of the year. This is the spirit of Christmas.
Whatever it is that you do make sure your thought has gone into it. Don’t spend 5 minutes paging through the sales to get something last minute that you vaguely think they will like. Sit down and write a list of what you think they are interested in. What do they need? Try to become Santa for the day.
Do they like Jewellery? Do they like the outdoors? Do they like toys, clothes, tools? What is it that makes that person tick? The internet is a fantastic tool, type in a special gift for a person who has an interest in…. and you fill in the blank. Whatever it is you buy, if you spend a little extra time on research and selection you can turn an ordinary gift into spectacular one.
Find out their interests and add an extra twist. So, if they love skiing, your gift could range from the best pair of skis as voted in 2017 to decorative stickers. Maybe a unique hand-made ski hat if there is such a thing? You could mix skiing with a purchase that involves their favourite colours? Buy a piece of jewellery to remind them of skiing? The possibilities are endless.
If their passion is jewellery and you can’t afford the most expensive ring in the world try natural gemstones. Each gemstone comes with its own special healing properties. Perhaps they are a smoker and they are trying to quit? Dalmatian Jasper is great for this. Try a Dalmatian Jasper necklace, add a little card inside listing the healing properties of the stone and you have turned an ordinary necklace into a gift containing meaning and thought. They could need to relax more, take time to breathe and enjoy the little things. Howlite is great for this; try a Howlite wrap bracelet. In doing a little bit of research you can find the perfect natural gemstone for them.
Maybe they love to read and are in to the outdoors? Mix and match passions. Find the top 3 books written about adventure in the outdoors. Wrap them in natural recycled paper and twine. You can make gifts extra special by choosing what you wrap them in.
If they are young, they are bound to get hundreds of toys. Try making yours stand out with a new trend of wrapping presents in brown paper to look like animals. The wrapping can be as good as the gift.
Another way I have found to make my presents stand out is to write an amazing gift tag or card. One of the things my family love most about my presents are the cards I write. Each one takes me around half an hour. I list all the things about them that I love and why I miss them so much. I get phone calls every year about how much they appreciated the card and they barely even mention the present at all.
Handmade presents are also a brilliant idea, showing someone you have taken the time to delicately make the perfect gift for them. If that’s not your cup of tea, there is a fabulous website called Etsy where you can buy hand-made and one-of-a-kind pieces specially made by talented individuals from around the world.
Whatever you do this Christmas make sure you do it with love.