There comes that time in your life when you’re asked what you want for Christmas and you can’t think of many things. When you were younger the list was probably waaayyy too long and you thought it probably wasn’t likely you would get every item on your wish list.

The point is when you were younger, you always could think of new toys or a new dress that you wanted and Christmas was the perfect opportunity. When you hit the early teenage years the list was more game or apparel related (depending on your interests) but you could still easily come up with a couple things your heart desired to have.

At some point in life, some come sooner than others, you struggle with what you want to ask for Christmas because the true desires aren’t materialistic or can easily be bought in a store. Eventually, your heart desires a gift such as a dinner out to catch up on life with a good friend, time with distant family, the time for self-love and self-care or finding something/someone in your life that brings you true happiness.

Eventually, as you grow older, you find the feeling of Christmas and not the objects of Christmas. This is why I think shopping for older friends and family can seem more challenging because what you find the best gift to be is freeing up one of their evenings and sending them to dinner with one of their grown kids or just sharing a cup of hot chocolate and talking about what you both want to accomplish in the upcoming year.

I’ve started finding that experiences are the best gift you can receive and I am forever grateful for the ones I’ve been given. I know to some who haven’t reached the age it may seem like a “get out of jail free card,” but that has no part in it. Christmas movies are teaching it and the reason for the season preaches it, but this time of the year is for memories as cliché as it sounds. Looking back on gifts I’ve received, my favorites are the ones I can’t physically hold.

I’m hoping this opens the eyes of someone who is unsure of what the perfect Christmas gift is and will lead others to share quality time with the ones who love them.

Merry Christmas.