The Perfect Gift

The perfect gift

By Teraesa Bruce

We have all been there, searching the stores for the perfect gift. We are often left disappointed and settling on something at the last minute that’s not quite as rewarding as what we were hoping for. Sometimes, not knowing what the recipient of our gift needs or wants, we find something random and hope for the best. Or we head out shopping with a small budget divided up between all those whom we plan to purchase a gift for. All of this is okay, but isn’t there something better?

This year, as well as years past, I have been pondering this tradition of gift giving and overspending during the holiday season hoping to find a better way. I have so many on my list, and never enough in my bank account. I hate to give to one friend and have another feel left out or not as important to me, as it truly breaks my heart to cause anyone to feel left out.

Then there is that one person in our life we have no idea what to gift them at Christmas. My dad for instance, for years I’ve wanted to get him something really cool, but he’s the type that if he wants something, he just buys it. Honestly his toys are a bit out of my price range. So I always end up getting him the same boring gift year after year, chocolate covered cherries.

My husband is another who is difficult to shop for. He refuses to give me his wish list. he collects toys, and if they are affordable he already has them. Also, if I was to find one, I wouldn’t even know if it was a collectible or not. My luck I would end up spending too much money on a piece of vintage junk. So year after year I go through his clothes to see what he needs, purchase what I can, wrap them and place them under the tree.

My kids are the same, Robert wants tools, and not cheep ones. Jackson wants vintage limited addition vinyl records from Europe, and Jacob won’t tell me what he wants. Thankfully Nicholas is still somewhat easy and is happy with a Lego set.

After going over everyone’s needs, I have come to the conclusion the one thing everyone needs more of is time. With our modern day crazy schedules and all the different hats we wear anymore, the only thing that seems to be lacking in our lives is time.

I can’t remember what I got for Christmas when I was 10-years-old, but I do remember the time that was spent with family. I remember the baked goods that were shared by family and friends and the time putting those goodies together. I remember the time and effort my grandmothers put into the quilts and afghans that were gifted to me, and the wood working projects my grandfather did. All year I’d ask who’s Christmas gift that was and my grandparents would say the name of a random family member, but never mine. I don’t know how they were always able to keep my gift a surprise, but somehow it was.

One of my favorite Christmas memories with my husband was a year we were darn near bankrupt. We scraped together the money we had left after all the necessities were taken care of and went shopping at local thrift stores. We had several coupons saved from McDonalds for coffees and pies, so we spent the day, hopped up on caffeine and sugar, listening to Christmas carols as we drove from store to store in search of gifts for our boys. It was a fun day, and almost like a treasure hunt. The boys were all satisfied that they had gifts under the tree, and like most years, the toys we had purchased were forgotten and shoved to the back of a closet by February, but the memory of how we got them will remain locked in my mind.

This year for Christmas, George, myself and the two adult boys decided we would draw names. We set an amount to be spent, because Robert and I tend to go overboard and George and Jacob are a little on the cheep side! LOL! I hope that goes well, we still bought gifts for the two younger boys and will give all four of them a little cash, but that decision took a lot of the holiday stress away, and has kept us on budget.

For our family Christmas party we have decided to do a gift exchange as well. We set a price, and if you want to be included you bring a gift, if not no worries. We are having a pot luck soup dinner and I’m planning to put together a couple goodie plates and make some appetizers. I have a couple games planned that no body will want to play, but if I can get them talked into it, they will have fun!

No matter how simple or extravagant your holiday celebration is this year, I hope you are able to take a little time to enjoy it and make some memories. All too often we get caught up in making Christmas perfect and magical and forget that our presence is what makes it just that. Be present this holiday season, because you, my friend, are the perfect gift.