I just read a news article about an actor and how he and his wife approach Christmas gifts with their son. He said that they bought nothing for his Christmas when he was under one-year-old because he wouldn’t know the difference. And as he got older and they noticed that he saw Christmas gifts as just a bunch of stuff—one gift after another—they cut back until he appreciated each gift he got as something of value.
I thought about that as I got to the point of writing this week’s topic. How do we give gifts that are personal? Here are a few ideas I had.
- Give gifts from the heart. I made it a habit long ago to give gifts to
people I love that I love, too. So, unless my mom asked for a puce-colored sweater where the sleeves hung over her hands and the hem reached her knees, I gave her a sweater I would like to wear myself. I gave a gift that would mean something to me if I received it. - Give gifts that people need. I don’t mean giving only underwear for Christmas—people need joy as well as undies—but there’s no need to give a person something they have no use for. My mom is on a fixed income and appreciates gift cards she can use to buy things she needs instead of having to use her own money. I always used to think that gift cards were impersonal, but they’re what she needs at this stage of life, so that’s what she gets.
- Give something intangible. A smile at the right time can be the greatest
gift of all. Lending a helping hand when you see it’s needed, thanking a serviceman or woman, or police officer for their service, or saying a kind word are all ways that make the recipient warm inside, and they cost nothing. My mom was always (and fortunately for me, still is) always ready with a hug or encouragement. Always willing to jump in and give me whatever it is I need. - Give something tangible. Charities always need more help at the holidays, but they also need a boost all year long. My mom tithes all
year, but she doesn’t tithe to her church, as such. She tithes in kind, by giving to two particular charities: one is an Indian school in South Dakota. She and my aunt send books and school supplies during the year and all kinds of gloves, scarves and hats in the winter. They buy travel size personal items and small teddy bears and package them to give to women’s shelters. When women escape horrible situations at home, they leave with just what they have on, and they need more, so Mom and my aunt help provide those things. - Give time. Another intangible that might cost something if it means taking time from work is the gift of time. Time is infinite, but time here
on earth, with loved ones or even those we don’t know, like folks at a nursing home or hospital, is not infinite. Once a day is gone it never comes again. I live too far from Mom to see her often, but we talk weekly and when we do have time together, we cherish it. Time and love are the two greatest gifts!
I do try each Christmas to follow these gift-giving ideas, though I don’t always succeed. I tend to give Jack things that I think he needs, not what he thinks he needs. (I do know best, don’t I? It turns out, not so much!) But I think the best point to remember about personal gift giving is that it’s not just for Christmas—it’s a notion we should follow all year round.
Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.
Dee
One Woman Only: The Good Man Series, Book 2 Jonah’s story! Can a simple mechanic rekindle with his high school love? She says no, but Jonah loves a challenge!
Mystic Desire
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers
Brenda Pearson’s first book was published in 2016. Brenda was born Eastern Township of Quebec, Canada but has since been happily living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. There she enjoys the salty air, the wildlife, and the warmth and kindness of Nova Scotians. She hopes to retire one day and write full time in her peaceful surrounding. Brenda enjoys writing, reading and golfing and spend quality time with her dog Molly and her partner Derek.
Gayle M. Irwin is an award-winning author and freelance writer, being recognized by Wyoming Writers, Inc., and the Wyoming Press Association for several of her works. She is a contributor to seven Chicken Soup for the Soul books and the author of many inspirational pet books and stories for both children and adults. She subtly weaves important life lessons within the lines and pages of her stories, including courage, kindness, perseverance, friendship, appreciation of nature, and the importance of pet rescue and adoption. Her first novel, a clean, contemporary pet rescue romance titled 
The whole time I lived at home, my mom made corn pudding for our holiday meals. I really don’t remember having it any other time, but Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, corn pudding was a staple on our dinner table. I loved it! Mom loved it! Dad…? Well, when he explained to Mom why he was leaving, after 28 years of marriage, he said he hated corn pudding.
I know many people bemoan the work that goes into hosting or visiting family at the holidays, but I am not one of them, except in one respect. First, about my family holidays.
wonderful! I understand how that might not be so if there is too much selfishness and too little care evident. That is if folks don’t get together to share the joys of the season and instead make it obvious that the day is about them and not everyone else. Believe me, I have been at family events where there is too much drinking or arguments spring up or one person is expected to do all the work. No fun. Not like family. If this is your situation, you might have to work harder at enjoying the holiday, but it can still be done.
large the kids have grown, with how each of us is getting more frail in our own ways or stronger. It gives us a chance to laugh with one another and maybe to cry, while sharing the load of what makes us cry. It provides a chance for photos with sparkly backgrounds, that we can examine later and smile over.
snarled traffic. This is the number one reason why no one in our family gets together on holidays—it’s too darn much trouble.
I’m not quite a Luddite, but close to it. I wasn’t always this way. Time was, I was considered a leader in computer and Internet usage. I posted on Yahoo groups with the best of them to promote my books, and could make Outlook, Word and Excel sing. Then I took a break.
would be spending even more time at the keyboard. And that doesn’t include blogging or managing a newsletter. By the time I create blog posts, both for those appearing on the Nomad Authors blog and for when I appear on the blog sites of others, I’m pooped.
I’ve always considered myself a pretty fast writer—when I write. I mean, I could eat lunch at work and still knock out a thousand words. I have written a 90K word book in a month. But the one year I tried NANOWRIMO, I choked. Couldn’t write 300 words in a day. Couldn’t get through a chapter in a week. Couldn’t… Well, couldn’t finish NANOWRIMO.
NANOWRIMO, but I did not. The discipline that NANOWRIMO gives you is a good thing, but when faced with it I turned out to be the biggest wuss ever. It’s not for me, I’m afraid. But for those who thrive under the NANOWRIMO pressure, more power to you! Enjoy the month. I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines.
Janet Lane Walters has been published for fifty years. Not in a continuous stream as she returned to work as a nurse to help when children reached college age. She lives in the scenic Hudson River valley. She writes romances, contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy. She also has a cluster of cozy mysteries, and a suspense. Among her writings are also poetry and short stories and non-fiction. She worked as a ghost writer for a few years. She is an award winning author and her non-fiction book Becoming Your Own Critique Partner written with Jane Toombs won an EPIC Award.
Just Another Scarecrow Love Story
Harmonious Haunt
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