| Some of my clients dread the holiday season | | | | as a gift certificate redeemable for an activity you |
| because it often represents stress, pressure, | | | | can do together -- can be very meaningful. Among |
| expectations, guilt, disappointment, pain, loneliness, | | | | the most prized gifts I've ever received have been |
| exhaustion... and the list goes on.This is a choice. We | | | | homemade cards with a heartfelt note written inside. |
| choose who we spend time with. We choose what | | | | Value goes far beyond the cost of the gift.A great |
| activities we say yes and no to. We choose where | | | | resource for homemade gift ideas is a book called |
| we go. Your holiday season can be as simple or as | | | | The Perfect Mix. It contains creative edible gift ideas, |
| elaborate as you choose to make it, and it can be a | | | | including wrapping suggestions and tag instructions, |
| lot of fun if you plan accordingly.Take some time this | | | | along with a source guide for supplies. The book |
| week to think about what's most important to you | | | | offers more than 90 recipes for soups, breads, |
| this season, and then do a little planning. Here are | | | | muffins, cookies, and other gifts. The gifts I've |
| some suggestions to help.==> Create a list of holiday | | | | created from this book have been very well received |
| rituals that are important to you.Seek your family's | | | | and appreciated.Instead of exchanging gifts with |
| input on holiday decisions. Ask family members what | | | | friends, consider having a holiday or post-holiday |
| they liked and disliked about last year's holidays. Write | | | | party with them.Avoid parking hassles, gridlock traffic |
| down the most important elements and activities you | | | | around the malls, and long lines at the register by |
| wish to include this year, and plan to make it | | | | shopping online and through catalogs. A number of |
| happen.Keeping time-consuming and irrelevant | | | | retail stores now offer merchandise online, as well. If |
| traditions or rituals "just because we've always done | | | | you are purchasing a gift that needs to be mailed, |
| it that way" can increase stress. Keep only those | | | | you can arrange to have it sent directly to the |
| traditions that have meaning to you, or create some | | | | recipient, thus avoiding the extra steps of wrapping, |
| new ones.Give yourself permission to be in the | | | | labeling, and mailing the gift.Spread out your purchase |
| moment and enjoy the smells, sounds, feel, and | | | | of gifts over the weeks of November and early |
| tastes that are unique to this season of the | | | | December. It's easier on the budget, and less |
| year.==> Make a list of those you want to spend | | | | stressful than waiting until the last minute.Wrapping |
| time with during the holidays.Who nourishes you? | | | | gifts can take a lot of time. Instead of wrapping all |
| Who are the family members, friends, and colleagues | | | | of them, use a gift bag with a nice bow tied at the |
| you enjoy being with?Do you want to do any | | | | top, or use a decorated gift box.Consider giving an |
| entertaining? If so, when and with whom? Plan ahead | | | | alternative gift to a friend or loved one by giving to a |
| and ask for help if you want it. True friends and | | | | charity in their name. One of my favorite charities is |
| loved ones will not care how many hours you slaved | | | | Heifer Project International. Through living gifts of |
| over the stove. Spending time with you is what | | | | animals, HPI is helping families worldwide to become |
| they'll cherish most. You don't have to be Martha | | | | self-reliant. You can buy an animal that can change |
| Stewart to throw a great party!Are you invited to | | | | the life of a hungry family and at the same time |
| holiday parties that you really don't want to go to, | | | | honor family and friends. Visit HPI's "gift catalog" at |
| but you've gone in the past because you should? Be | | | | Spread the holiday cheer with those in |
| at choice -- don't play the victim! This is not about | | | | need.Volunteer to serve a holiday meal to the |
| whom you should see, but rather whom you choose | | | | homeless, work in a soup kitchen, or work at a food |
| to spend time with.==> Mail your greeting cards, | | | | bank.Adopt a family for the holidays and provide |
| holiday letters, and packages early.Some time-saving | | | | them with gifts or holiday foods. Many churches and |
| tips:Write a short holiday letter that covers the | | | | non-profit organizations can match you with a needy |
| highlights; copy it on holiday paper and add a note at | | | | family.Look for a Giving Tree in your local retail |
| the end to personalize it. Make a collage of pictures | | | | stores. The tree is filled with cards that list a specific |
| to photocopy on the back side of the letter.Use | | | | gift desired by someone in need. You select a card |
| self-adhesive return labels. These labels are | | | | off the tree, purchase the suggested gift listed on |
| inexpensive and often come with festive holiday | | | | the card, and return the gift to the tree with the |
| designs. One great online source for these is Walter | | | | card attached. The store wraps the gift and delivers |
| Drake at Colorful Images is another source. They can | | | | it to the intended recipient.The end of the tax year is |
| be reached at 800-458-7999.If you have your | | | | a great time to review your budget and consider a |
| addresses on a computerized database, consider | | | | year-end gift to your favorite charities. This can |
| printing out your mailing list on clear address labels. | | | | represent a significant tax deduction if you itemize, |
| Years ago, an old college friend commented that she | | | | while doing great things locally and globally.==> Use |
| thought it was tacky to use address labels on holiday | | | | your calendar.Now that you're clear about your |
| cards and letters. I told her that my choice was to | | | | intentions, calendar them in. Writing them down for |
| either use labels or not mail our annual holiday letter | | | | follow-up on a specific date will help you to |
| to the 250 people on our list. Now that she has a | | | | remember to do it and will keep things from falling to |
| young family, I've noticed she has started using | | | | the last minute. Here is a list of activities you can |
| address labels, too!E-mail a holiday letter to those | | | | pencil in on your calendar:Schedule family meeting to |
| with whom you correspond electronically. You can | | | | discuss plans and intentions for the holiday |
| easily personalize this for each recipient. Attach color | | | | seasonMake airline, hotel, and rental car arrangements |
| photos highlighting the past year. Another alternative | | | | (if traveling out of town for the holidays)-- |
| is to create a holiday web page, and include the link | | | | ASAP!Holiday decorating (indoor, outdoor, office, |
| to it in a personalized e-mail message.Mail packages | | | | etc.)Finalize holiday entertainment plan and guest |
| early to avoid longer lines at the post office and | | | | listMail invitations or call to invite others to events |
| ensure they will arrive in time. Or, better yet, sign up | | | | you have plannedMeal planning and preparation (can |
| with and avoid the lines altogether. You can mail large | | | | some cooking be done ahead of time and |
| packages without standing in any lines -- as long as | | | | frozen?)Prepare gift listHoliday gift making/holiday |
| you have an accurate way to weigh them before | | | | bakingGift selection & purchaseGift wrappingPrepare |
| you purchase postage online.==> Thoughtfully plan | | | | mailing list or database for holiday cards/letters |
| your gift-giving.Give from the heart... not out of | | | | e-mailsPrepare holiday cards, letters, e-mails, |
| obligation. Decide whom you choose to give to and | | | | WebsiteMail cards, letters, packagesGather |
| make a list. This will help you avoid overspending | | | | information about volunteer opportunities and |
| through impulse buying.If you think back to the most | | | | calendar in activities you choose to doFinalize |
| cherished gifts you have received, they are often | | | | charitable giving plan for 2000Happy holiday organizing! |
| homemade or from the heart. A gift of time -- such | | | | |