A Guide to Giving
December 7, 2016 -
With Christmas Day just around the corner, many of have just come to the frantic state in which we start to panic at the thought of figuring out what to get all of our family and friends for Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of going Christmas shopping, and finding the absolutely perfect gifts for my loved ones, but these days, that isn’t very realistic. Being that I am in college, I find myself on a tighter budget that in the past, and have had to get a bit creative when it comes to gift giving. While sometimes these types of gifts require a bit more time and thought, they tend to be the ones that mean the most, because they really come from the heart. Here are a few tips for gift giving.
Get Creative
For many, this is a bit of a daunting task, but I promise, it’s not as scary as it sounds! Some of my favorite gifts that I’ve both received and given have been home made. From beautiful pieces of art, to scrap books, or even baked goods, there are endless options when it comes to creativity. Some of my favorite things to make for friends are christmas cookies (of course), a fun gift basket filled with budget friendly items such as tea, lotion, or candles, or some sort of collage or scrap book. These gifts are inexpensive, but are so much fun to make and give.
Do A Gift Exchange
One of the things that some of my friends and I have been doing for the past few years, is a gift exchange. This has become a really fun holiday tradition, and something that we all look forward to every year. Basically, we get a group of 10 or 15 people, and are each assigned one person to give a gift to. We all agree upon a budget that none of us are to exceed, so there is absolutely no pressure to buy something extravagant. This exchange is always so much fun, and is always a highlight of the holiday season.
Treat a Friend/Family Member to a Meal Out
One of my favorite gifts, is to take a friend/family member out to brunch or dinner. This can be a bit more of a splurge, depending on what restaurant you choose to go to, but it is such a fun gift. It is so fun to get all dressed up, especially during the holiday season, and have a fun meal out and catch up with a friend. Additionally, some people can be so hard to shop for, so this is the perfect gift for the person that you just cannot figure out what to get. All material items aside, everyone loves food, so whoever you treat to a nice meal out will be absolutely thrilled.
I hope that you have found some of these ideas to be helpful, and that you are inspired to give this season. Happy Holidays!
-sb
