I love finding a random little trinket that is specific to just one person, buying it, and then giving it to them for no reason at all, on a boring weekday, out of the blue, just because it made me think of them.
I love finding things throughout the year, that my kids are really wanting, at a good price and setting it aside for Christmas.
I'd love to give more...to more people...and more often, but unfortunately I did not win the billion dollar lottery.
I'm fairly certain that I've inherited this love of giving from my mother, although I'm positive I'm nowhere near the lady she is. If you've ever met her, then you already love her and know that she is the most selfless and giving person on the planet. You can read more on her here. :)
The older that I get the more that I realize that the "what" you give actually matters more than we'd like to admit. Yes, I believe in the idea of, "it's the thought that matters," but I also believe the "what" matters too. Not in the way of the gift needing to be the best, most expensive, biggest, sparkliest, you-fill-in-the-blank-here, but in the way of the "thought" being combined with the "what."
Is what you are giving something that the recipient would really enjoy? We ought not give a gift just to please ourselves. That defeats the purpose doesn't it? When you saw what you are giving did you immediately think of who it should be given to? If it isn't something that evokes a memory of or feeling for the person then maybe it's not for them. Maybe it's more for you. I think we should all be more careful in our gift giving. Let's take ourselves out of the equation.
When it comes to giving gifts to my children I like to think of the things that will actually be useful, and not just frivolous things. I know for me, I'm always looking for a way to purge all the things we already have around the Hive. We constantly have a "Goodwill" pile mounding up in the garage. Perhaps it's my
This year, for our kids' birthdays, my husband and I have decided that we will not be giving presents, but presence.
Our kids don't need another little toy, stuffed animal, piece of clothing, electronic, etc. What they do need is us. There will be plenty of time for all of those other things to distract them from us one day, and that day is coming much quicker than I like to allow myself to even think about, but for now our kids crave our attention. They are constantly begging us to "look at me, daddy!" or "watch this, momma!" And this year, and every year from now on as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to give them exactly what they want. Me. I'm giving them my presence.
That won't mean that they won't have anything tangible, but what that does mean is that the tangible thing isn't going to be the main focus. Our main focus will be giving of our time, our attention, our love to them. Those "things" spent together far outweigh any money spent anyway. We will make memories with our kids. We will spend one-on-one time with just them. We will laugh and talk and soak up every moment we can with them. One day they will be somewhere else on their birthday, and every other day for that matter, but while they are here with us we will cherish them, hold tight to them, delight in them.
I am so looking forward to their birthdays this year and they are too. Together, the girls have already gone on a date with their daddy to the movie theatre, and will get to go on a date alone with him soon. I get to take the girls out individually for a special mom and daughter date too. It's a new tradition that we are starting for our family, and it's one that I'm hoping will stick around for a long, long time.
I encourage you to truly think about what it is that you are giving. Maybe it's time you remember that the best thing that you can give is your time, your attention, your love...yourself.
<3