Oh, the season is upon us.
It's a time of joy, celebration, love... stress, spending, and bone-chilling cold.
Even though the holiday season may be a time spent relaxing with loved ones, there are a lot of unnecessary worries that go along with it. One that even the best of us struggle with is trying to come up with that perfect Christmas gift for each of your loved ones, before the holiday actually arrives.
If you're like me, you want to buy the people that you care about everything their heart could possibly desire each year. Unfortunately one's bank account, and imagination, do not support such a dream.
Looking through catalogs or browsing through Amazon can be depressing when you're on a budget or have no idea what to get someone. Of course, there are always a few things leading up to the holiday that you could do to make the process a little easier.
1. Spend more time with your loved one before you buy the gift.
Even if it's someone you know really well, more time together never hurt any relationship. Conversations had in person are often the best ways to get to know more about someone, and if you listen closely, you may pick up on new interests, wants, or ideas that you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
2. Check their social media accounts.
For all those who are opposed to social media, it has its benefits when it comes to finding out more about someone. Whether it be your mother sharing a Facebook post about someone who just redid their kitchen or your girlfriend retweeting a picture of a life-sized teddy bear, you can get a lot of inspiration from the subtle hints on social media.
3. Ask around.
This may feel like cheating, but it can serve two purposes. First, it ensures that you won't be giving someone the same gift as another person. Second, it can give you at least some direction as to where to take your gift. If one of your roommates is giving another a new scarf, maybe you could give her some earrings to match.
4. Partner with someone else.
If you're stumped as to what to give your dad, chances are your sister is, too. Maybe the problem isn't choosing a gift itself, it's finding a good gift in a realistic price range. By splitting the cost of a more expensive gift with another person, it solves both your problems, and eases the financial burden, with the added bonus of being able to give an even better gift.
5. But in the end, remember, it's the thought that counts!
Even though buying an expensive gift is all well and good, if it's something they'll never use or aren't passionate about, it's not as rewarding in the long run. Most of the time, loved ones are happy enough just to see that you care enough to go through the trouble of finding a gift. Most people stress themselves out trying to find the "perfect gift" to buy when a lot of the time, they don't realize that thoughtful, simple, or homemade gifts can often get an even better reaction.
Depending on each person's personality, handwritten letters, an array of cozy winter socks, mason jars filled with Christmas cookie mix, or little sports-themed memorabilia are usually winners as any Christmas gift. The little key chain you got your grandma on vacation last year gets more use than the Kindle she doesn't know how to work.
So relax. This time of giving only comes once a year, and with it comes the opportunity not to empty your pockets, but simply show someone you care. In the end, Christmas isn't really about the gifts, or spending, what you're getting, or what you're giving. It's about the memories you're making with the ones you love as you celebrate the traditions of the season.
