Christmas Gift Ideas ~ 2011

“The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

After my recent move from a big to a small house, I got to thinking about all the stuff that I have, love, but rarely if ever use. Every shelf, nook, and cranny becomes a “Where’s Waldo” portmanteau of curios, books, and pictures.

In my defense, okay a weak one at that, we have mashed stuff from many rooms into one. This picture shows what happens when you jam cool stuff from the music studio, massive den, and library into a modest den. And I’m hard pressed to move more of this *cool* stuff to the thrift shop.

So I thought I’d share some Christmas gift ideas that I have actually developed over the years. I have found some solace in being a little more clever about giving something meaningful rather than a trinket destined to live on the regifting shelf.

1. Everyone doesn’t want or deserve a gift. You can’t buy most people’s love. No, really! If you rarely see the recipient, never communicate, why are you buying them a gift? It can create a sense of obligation for them to buy you a gift. We don’t want that.

2. Buy activities, not things. I have taken my parents to breakfast every Saturday that we are available for over ten years. We have agreed to do this in lieu of buying Christmas presents. It really works well for us. I think the gift of time is highly underrated.

3. Kids want money. $20 in a gift certificate and even a crisp bill is many children’s favorite thing to receive. You could spend more on something that they wouldn’t appreciate at all.

4. Regift! I still get the urge to splurge. When my grandson helped us move, spending hours with me moving heavy things, in addition to cash I gave him one of my eight guitars. I had never played it, so it was in pristine condition. He was bowled over and I didn’t have to find a place to put the instrument in the new house.

Sometimes I still get the urge to buy something. Klockwerks comes to mind. There are so many lovely things in the world. In this world of consumer excess, I am trying to retrain myself to enjoy viewing them vice satisfying the urge to own them.

Feel free to share some of your best gift giving ideas.