Gift Giving

As much as we all want to hide our heads it is coming upon us very quickly... I'm talking about give giving!  The holidays... Christmas.  I've already started doing some of my shopping.  And oddly enough I am excited about it. As broke as we are I'm still excited.   There is something to be said for finding a small gift for someone and knowing it is a creative gesture that hopefully they will appreciate.

For years I took pride in my sensational gift giving talents.  And I believe that the way the package is wrapped is just as important as what is inside the box!  My gifts were wrapped and gifted with love. It is common when coming to my house you will see all my gifts wrapped with the same papers and colors of ribbon... I like them to look good under my festive tree! 

Then we moved and I lost my desire to buy gifts much less wrap them.  I just didn't feel like I cared at all about it.  And this year.. I'm BACK!  My spirit is returning.  I've purchased some gifts and I'm excited about them.  I've thought about the wrap and the outside of my packages!  I've thought about what I need to send to Norway & France and when to mail it so it is on time! 

Gift giving is an art in itself.  No matter the cost, the size or the item...  there needs to be some thought, some love behind it.  There will be some homemade gifts this year and some purchased gifts.  I've even been making some ceramic gift tags...  There is room for fun and creativity this year.  No gift cards this year.... this year my clever, creative spirit is here.... 

As Halloween draws near and we begin to think about our Thanksgiving feast put some dedicated thought into your Holiday shopping.  No matter if you buy 1 or 30 gifts, make them count.  Make them beautiful on the outside.  Step away from the generic and think outside the comfort zone.  Check out places like www.etsy.com for gifts my by indivuduals.  Ask a friend who does something to help you.  (Last year I had a knitter make my brother-in-law a stocking hat!).  Everyone out there right now is interested in www.pinterest.com ... check it out to see if you can make something yourself.  My sister just made a scarf from a t-shirt.  Frame your kids artwork. Make a photo collage.  Search www.craigslist.com for some groovy items you can re-purpose.  Buy LOCAL!  It hasn't been easy to do that here in Omaha for me ... seems like more of a challenge but I'm figuring it out.  We all complain about the big box places taking over... do something different this year.   I know I sure will be....  because I'm excited again to get out there and discover and find just the perfect gift...