flickr.com/people/judson
The
Holidays have arrived. This series of festive days is anticipated by
many a man and woman in the Western world. The young ones expect fun and
cheer, the young adults look forward to the merry-making and
alcohol-laced festivities, and the young at heart appreciate the
proximity of friends and family and take the time to remember the
holidays that passed.
All
of us want gifts, for ourselves and for those we consider dear and
important. I might not have the figure on how much people spend on gifts
during this time of the year, but from all the Black Friday, Christmas,
New Year’s, and whatever manner of sales there are out there, I’m
inclined to think it’s in the bazillions.
This
is not meant to preach against the hedonistic evils of materialism; I
love giving and receiving gifts too. I’m just trying to inject the idea
that we could probably tone it down a little and make more of our
purchases smart ones. That way, we could either save a little and spend
on things more essential (or charitable), or you could just go ahead and
buy more gifts for more people!
Here are some ways I can suggest, off the top of my head:
Give Interesting Gifts, Not Necessarily Expensive Ones
It’s
easier to flip out your credit card or a stack of dollar bills than to
be creative. This Holiday season, try to do a little research and find
out what makes your potential gift recipient happy, or find something
rather out of the ordinary and make them smile (or gasp, in a good way).
decobreeze.com
You
know your friends and loved ones more than me, so I’ll leave you to
most of the thinking. In my personal experience, oddities and creative
twists to everyday objects make for some of the most intriguing gifts.
For instance, I found this shop that sold decorative items with electric fans built into them.
If Not Interesting, Be Practical
We
can’t all be creative spirits, after all. Some of us bend towards
things useful and practical. Part of that practicality is reflected in
the relative cost of the item. There’s no need to pay more for a snazzy
brand name when a similar product with a more agreeable price tag is
available.
Certain online stores offer affordable electronics
that simply work, and it might feel like giving someone a stapler or
some other office implement, but trust me, in these trying times,
essentials and useful tools are more than appreciated.
Potentially Lifesaving Gifts Are Cool, Too.
I
think it goes without saying that a gift that keeps on giving is one of
the best things you can give. As I mentioned above, times are hard,
along with that, people become more desperate. They take any job they
can find, or if they can’t find employment, they might even resort to
less honorable means of getting by.
I
think a spray can of mace or a TASER or some similar device is a
perfectly legitimate gift, especially for women. On the other spectrum,
giving your aging grand folks a device that allows them instant medical assistance when they need it.
Regardless
of the gifts that you plan to give (or receive), have a warm and
festive Holiday season, and have fun shopping as well!
About the Author
Stacey
Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover
of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and is
hammering out a group blog with her best friends, Word Baristas.
Originally posted at Popgive.com.![]()
