A Thoughtful Gift

I don't know about you, but Christmas is a mixed bag of emotions for me. Not the true meaning of Christmas... I find the celebration of Jesus' birth peaceful, spiritual and graceful. It's the commercial aspect of Christmas that is sometimes fun and sometimes stressful.

You know what I mean - finding just the right gift for someone can be a lot of work... a lot of soul searching, a lot of shopping, a lot of guessing. But then finding that gift can be quite satisfying and watching them open it - and enjoy it - can make it all worth while. I realize the whole process is just part of the season.

But being on the receiving end of gifts is sometimes just as hard. I'm at the point of my life when, if someone asks me what I want for Christmas, I have to think pretty hard. I consider myself very lucky in life to not really want (and definitely not need) anything desperately. And then there are the kids - anyone else looking for ideas other than MORE TOYS to give your kids? We're a nation of excess and I'm coming to an age/time in my life where it's starting to bother me.

So why would I make a blog entry encouraging you to buy more "stuff"? Because I think the key to finding a good gift is finding one that is practical but has meaning and use. For me, I'd like a gift that I can utilize for my hobby, which can essentially be good therapy for me and one that benefits my whole family. I have someone in my CM unit that has a signature line on her e-mail that says "a birth certificate proves you were born, a death certificate proves you died, a scrapbook proves you lived." I love that.

So this holiday season, of course I can recommend several Creative Memories items that might work for you or someone you're shopping for... even if they don't scrapbook (photo-safe storage, for example)! But I encourage you to do the same for everyone, whether they quilt, fish, or golf... or you can donate - give your time, talent or treasure. Improving the quality of someone's life would be a great way to honor the heart of the season.