The holidays are closing in on us and rather than running off to the store one more time and spending more money, sit down and spend a few minutes in 'think time'. The person receiving your gift will be so appreciative that you made the effort to create something especially for them.
Here are several ideas that will involve your time, and very little or no money. I can hear you now, "I don't have any time right now, don't you know I'm frazzled enough getting ready for the holidays"? Relax, take a deep breath, and read on.
Maybe you know someone such as a parent or aunt or uncle who has a computer, but they don't know how to use some of the features. What if you gave them a gift certificate for 4 - 5 hours of your time to sit down with them (after the holidays) to teach them how to create business, greeting, or thank you cards? Maybe they'd like to learn how to create and upload a YouTube video? Maybe their files are all over the place and they need help organizing them? Wouldn't it be great to show them how to backup their files, especially pictures? The list is endless; just ask them what they'd like to learn. The point is that there are probably many ways to help someone with their computer, and the hours don't have to be all at one time. It's all about spending quality time with someone, really helping them out, and giving you practice in being a teacher. Dollars spent - 0; value is priceless.
Have you ever kept a Gratitude Journal? I learned that most successful people do have one, so I started one myself. Each morning I have my cup of coffee, pull out my journal, and write the 8 things that I am grateful for that day. It could be as simple as being able to hear the sounds of birds around my house or to see the snow falling outside my window. Just being appreciative about our health, senses, people around us, nature, pets, having a job and coworkers is enough to help us put things in perspective. For a gift, you can buy a journal at the Dollar Store and leave it as is or decorate and label the covers. Make certain to slip in a page which says what you are grateful about the person receiving your gift. Dollars spent - 1; value is priceless.
We'd all like to be better about sending Thank You cards, but end up with more reasons why we don't send them out, rather than the results of actually sending them out. Most people I know would love to have help in crossing the finish line and actually sending out the cards, and in a timely way. Again, you could volunteer your time right after the holidays by giving a loved one a gift certificate of your time to help them with their correspondence. You could help them design cards on the computer or make handcrafted ones with paper and decorations around the house. Maybe they'd like someone to address the envelopes. You will be a real hero to someone who always has the intention to do this, but doesn't always complete it. Dollars spent - 0; value is priceless.
In terms of food, most of us picture presenting a friend with a plate of cookies or a jar of our homemade jelly tied up with a bow. This can put an incredible burden on our limited time right before the holidays. There are many other ways to present loved ones with gifts of food. Maybe the recipient would love to learn how to create your special recipe. Give them a gift certificate to work with you to create your masterpiece after the holidays. What a fun way to spend time together. You could also give someone a gift certificate that you will make them a favorite recipe of their choosing after the holidays. Whenever possible involve children in cooking projects. These can present not only incredible lessons in cooking, but also opportunities for reading, math, and sharing. Dollars spent - few; value is priceless.
No comments:
Post a Comment