Give the Gift of 'Do'!
Nov 01 '09
The Bottom Line Stop buying 'things' and start buying laughs, smiles, and memories!!!
I adore giving gifts, so it would make sense that the holiday season is my favorite time of the year. Each time it rolls around, I rack my brain and search the stores for great, creative gifts, working on the theory of giving someone 'the object that the never realized they always wanted'.
I've done pretty well over the years; last year's fun was a homemade ice cream maker for my mother, who adores creating, and ice cream, despite her saying that she didn't want any more kitchen gadgets. The machine barely gets to rest! I also loved giving my brother a make-your own beer kit, and my fiancee a kit of kitchen utensils/supplies, compiled of things he had always commented he wanted, but never purchased.
My real coups over the years, however, have been my gifts of 'do'. I really love giving the gifts of experiences, preferably ones that can be done my couples, families, or friends together. It started about 6 years ago when I began a tradition of giving the whole family (parents, my brother, and myself, and now our significant others) tickets to go see a local AHL hockey team. We all enjoy the sport, it's not extremely expensive, and we get to spend time together. We often go out for pizza before or after the game, and I had started throwing in a gift certificate to the pizza joint as well. The following year, I bought tickets for my mother and I to go see the Tran-Siberian Orchestra, and a gift card for getting lunch beforehand-we had a ball!!
My father has jumped in, buying a set of Yankee tickets for my brother and I to attend a game with him, and it's fun for the three of us to take in the road trip and game together. After I moved to Boston, I sent my mother and brother a gas card and tickets to take the Duck Tour, so they came up the following Spring, completely on me, and we had a great afternoon.
Last year I kept it fresh, giving my parents WNBA tickets on the particular day that the CT Sun, whose roster included many beloved UConn alum, played at home against the team (Phoenix) which their all-time favorite UConn player (Diana Taurasi) had gone to. They had a ball, reliving the game with some of their favorite players-and my fiancee gave them a gift card to the restaurants at the casino-they made a whole night of it! That same year my brother got tickets to see one of the stars of his favorite TV sitcom, Kevin James, do a stand up show.
As long as you pick wisely, you can really make someone's holiday with a gift of 'do'. Restaurant gift certificates encourage couples to spend an evening together, and concerts and sporting events open up opportunities to have a new experience! Although pro sports can be an expensive gift, farm teams and lesser leagues can be just as fun and have lower costs of fandom. College teams can also carrying a smaller price tag, but still include big fun. Check local theaters for interesting shows, concerts, or comedy nights.
I know everyone in my family has 'that corner', of things that they received as gifts which seemed thoughtful and appropriate, but likely turned into dust collectors. Lessen those knick-knacks and gadgets, and give the gift of 'do'!!
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