It's that time of year where everyone is busily shopping for holiday presents. There are sales everywhere. The stores are trying to entice you with lots of new gadgets and lots of shiny things. We just have to have the lastest and greatest. We have to keep up!
We have been inundated with ads. Sometimes multiple times a day by some companies.
Will you be able to resist or will you succumb to the holiday pressure to buy as much possible. Because we all know that the more presents you buy someone - the more you love them!
And after everyone unwraps all the presents and the wrapping paper is thrown away - their interests in the item is short-lived.
Don't get me wrong. I like to receive presents (sometimes). If it's something that is meaningful to me - and not only the gift giver. A lot of people tend to buy gifts that they think are nice (or would want themselves) - instead of giving a gift that is really meaningful to the person who would be receiving the gift.
Some people don't know their friends as well as they think they do!
So take a step back and really ask yourself a couple of questions before buying that gift:
Have you seen the person use or ask for (insert gift idea)?
Will this be something that the person has to display in their home and is there room for it?
Will you be offended if the person doesn't display the gift you thought would "fit in perfectly"?
Will you be offended if the person doesn't wear the gift you bought them (because it's really not their style)?
Are you buying a gift - any old gift - just to have something to give them - even though you don't know what to get them and don't want to go empty handed?
Gift giving is an art! You want to show people that you care about them - but forcing them to wear something or display something that does not fit into their own style - is setting them up to feel bad because they don't want to hurt your feelings.
Take a step back and really listen to their likes, wants and dreams. It's not how much you give or the size of the gift that matters. It's that you really paid attention to them.
Don't clutter up someone else's house with your ideas of "the perfect (insert item)".
So what are some ideas that might not clutter up someone else's home?
An invitiation to lunch or dinner to catch up on their life
An invitation to a play that they've wanted to see
A gift certificate to the spa for a massage (my favorite!) or getting their nails done (if they do this)
A donation in their name to a charity that they support
A gift certificate to a class that they have been talking about
A gift basket of things that they like but would not buy for themselves (spa items, fruit or chocolate ...)
A gift certificate for a car wash (a great gift to get the dirt & snow off their car)
A gift certificate to the movies (with popcorn of course)
A gift certificate for free babysitting so that they can go out and do whatever they want
There are a lot of ideas that don't leave clutter in your home. I'm sure that you can come up with some more!
Happy Holidays!
Less Clutter = Less Stress SM in your home, your business and your life
Organizational Consulting Services
http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.
Visit our Life & Business Coaching website: North By Northwest
*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....
No comments:
Post a Comment