Gift-giving is a strong tradition in many cultures all over the world, but some gifts are best received from the inside-out; from a place where love and appreciation begins. Move through this season of thanks and giving with awareness, and not just going through the motions. The best gifts aren't bought from a store, they come through spending quality time with the people you care about, or from gifts that come from the heart
Here are a few gifts of gratitude your friends and family will love:
Donate in Someone’s Name. The perfect gift for the person who has everything: something for someone in need. Make a donation in a family member’s name this year, choosing a charity you think they would be passionate about. Maybe even suggest making charitable donations a new tradition.
Give the Gift of Time. This can be as simple as an IOU for a task that you know needs doing.
Make a homemade card or gift. Taking the extra time to give something that's not "off the shelf" makes whatever you give so much more special. Because these gifts can be quite cost effective, be extra generous and bestow your goodies on your hair stylist, babysitter, and landlord too.
Shop Local. If making homemade gifts is too intimidating, bless local business owners.
Host a Party and Ask People to Pay “Cover”. Time celebrating with family, friends and neighbors is what creates the best memories, and strengthens relationships. If you host a party, ask guests to bring cash for charity, or canned goods for the local food bank, as their “cover” for the night.
Volunteer. Make volunteering a holiday tradition. Get some friends together and spend time with seniors, or in a local soup kitchen. If you have kids, get them involved, too. If you buy toys for a toy drive, bring them to the drop-off zone to help them understand the importance, and rewards, of generosity. Excerpted from eHarmony
And for yourself, be thankful for those things that you may normally take for granted (and that some people are unable to experience) — the ability to breathe, to walk, to eat, to speak, to grow, to connect, to love, to live.
As the new year begins, remember to take the time to recognize and express your gratitude for important people in your life. Whether it be in person or with a thank you note.
Gratitude is a glue that binds people together. To give it is to receive it because to receive it you must first give it. This is a beautiful circle. When your friends and family engage with you in this flow of thanks, you’ll never again be alone and wanting for help.
Here are a few gifts of gratitude your friends and family will love:Donate in Someone’s Name. The perfect gift for the person who has everything: something for someone in need. Make a donation in a family member’s name this year, choosing a charity you think they would be passionate about. Maybe even suggest making charitable donations a new tradition.
Give the Gift of Time. This can be as simple as an IOU for a task that you know needs doing.
Make a homemade card or gift. Taking the extra time to give something that's not "off the shelf" makes whatever you give so much more special. Because these gifts can be quite cost effective, be extra generous and bestow your goodies on your hair stylist, babysitter, and landlord too.
Shop Local. If making homemade gifts is too intimidating, bless local business owners.
Host a Party and Ask People to Pay “Cover”. Time celebrating with family, friends and neighbors is what creates the best memories, and strengthens relationships. If you host a party, ask guests to bring cash for charity, or canned goods for the local food bank, as their “cover” for the night.
Volunteer. Make volunteering a holiday tradition. Get some friends together and spend time with seniors, or in a local soup kitchen. If you have kids, get them involved, too. If you buy toys for a toy drive, bring them to the drop-off zone to help them understand the importance, and rewards, of generosity. Excerpted from eHarmony
And for yourself, be thankful for those things that you may normally take for granted (and that some people are unable to experience) — the ability to breathe, to walk, to eat, to speak, to grow, to connect, to love, to live.
As the new year begins, remember to take the time to recognize and express your gratitude for important people in your life. Whether it be in person or with a thank you note.
Gratitude is a glue that binds people together. To give it is to receive it because to receive it you must first give it. This is a beautiful circle. When your friends and family engage with you in this flow of thanks, you’ll never again be alone and wanting for help.
“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” - G. K. Chesterton
