What are you giving your friends and loved ones this Christmas? For many people, gift giving may come as a challenge. While many people may have started on their gift shopping earlier on, many are still waiting for their bonuses and extras to start shopping. What’s more, some people are just plain hard to shop for!
When it comes to Christmas, a desire to give good, memorable and often, expensive, gifts can create added pressure.
Don’t fret. Here are a few ideas to help you with your gift-giving.
Go homemade.
If you’re talented or artistic, put your skills to good use and get started making instead of buying.
Food. Homemade candy, cookies, and food items will be appreciated even more this year. When someone brings you food, which do you prefer….the grocery store version or homemade? If you can’t cook, a quick trip to the bazaars and tiangges will show you a whole slew of food products made from a real-life, honest to goodness kitchen, not just a factory.
Crafts. Personalized ornaments, make go-green cloth shopping bags, or gift baskets. This can be pure entertainment as the family comes up with ways to personally bless someone. Think about what that person does on a daily basis and ask God to help you get creative. Or help a neighborhood artisan make some sales.
Service.
Offer IOU cards for babysitting, yard work or other services that you’re good at that will bless the recipient. That can truly be a gift of love for you and the other person.
Recycling.
Look through your unused items for things to wrap up! These may include CDs, games books and more.
Gifts that Give.
There are stores and companies that donate a certain percentage of the price of gifts bought to worthy causes. When you patronize them, you’re not just giving to a friend or a loved one, you’re giving to the needy as well.
Yourself.
How much of yourself goes into a gift? If you’re a busy person, a dinner or time with your family counts a lot. Make time for a special meal together or an entire series of them! The gift of time and a personal commitment counts so much more to the people you love.
These are just a few ideas that can make this Christmas more memorable.