Counting Down to Christmas ...

I was reminded recently how this holiday means different things to different people.  I teach people how to shop within the framework of a budget and a gift plan.  I teach them how to plan menus and throw a fabulous party.  When it comes to my own life, I must say I have something of a 'been there, done that' attitude.  I don't want to crawl around a crowded mall, drive the freeways with thousands of my fellow drivers or cook a big meal.  I did all of those things for years and I have to say it all brought me great joy.  But now I'm content to help others and concentrate on the Spiritual aspects of this beautiful season.  

I have friends who are in the same boat with me.  One told me recently that she had everything she needed.  In lieu of another gift, she wanted 'an experience.'  We grabbed another friend and went to the theater!  I like to meet friends throughout the year in different places to spend a few quiet days catching up on our lives.  Instead of gifts in boxes we get memories for a lifetime. 

But I am not holding one type of experience above another. It's more of a cautionary tale: if we are the same at 50 as we were at 20 something is missing ... like growth!  What concerns me is how rocking the holiday boat causes some family and friends to become quite upset.  It's as if we're saying we reject them personally.  Somewhere between what we need to do to honor friends and family and what we wish to do to preserve our own sanity lies the perfect holiday. Have you found yours? Did your new tradition meet with opposition?  I'd love to hear your story!

May you have a holiday experience you will long hold in your heart as one of the more 'perfect' experiences of your lifetime!

Create special holiday mementos....

As you gather with family and friends this holiday, why not take a few minutes to interview everyone present? Ask your mother and father to tell the story of how they met. Does your sibling have a favorite holiday memory? Perhaps Uncle Harry would like to share the story of how he and your mom celebrated Christmas when they were children? We always think there will be time to record these memories but life passes quickly and very often the moment is lost. Just about every cell phone has a few minutes of video recording available so you don't even have to purchase a fancy new camera.

This Thanksgiving I decided to make a cookie that I remembered from my childhood. My Aunt Marie made it every year. You could not resist it. One year I gained five pounds in a week! There was just one problem: I not only didn't have her recipe, I had no idea what these cookies were called. My friends at Facebook came to my rescue. After some trial and error, I figured out that these are 'Snowball Cookies.' I made a few batches and happily delivered them to friends. I wish I could ask Aunt Marie what her secret ingredient or technique was because mine were not nearly as good as hers. Unfortunately Aunt Marie is alive but in late stages of Alzheimer's. If only I had thought to interview her her a few years ago!

May you be blessed with a month of rich experiences!

Regina

Shop with your head, not with your heart!

December 8th, 2008

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...and Chanukah, and Kwaanza and...whatever end of the year holiday you wish to honor by purchasing gifts for loved ones, friends and colleagues.

Here is THE most important thing you need to decide before you ever set foot in a store or make out a gift list: how much money can you spend? It's critical that you be realistic. I encourage you to shop using your left brain, not your emotions. The latter will find you making purchases that will come back to haunt you in January when your credit card bills start arriving in your mail box. The latter will give a false boost to your low self esteem as folks open the gifts you can't afford and gush over your 'generosity.'

Here's an exercise I offer in my New York Times best seller "One Year to an Organized Life.'

1. Take an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper and write your budget in the upper right hand corner. Remember this is the maximum amount you can spend for gifts. You may also need money for holiday entertaining, travel, gift wrap and ribbon etc. Factor those expenses in when you make your gift giving budget.

2. Make a list of everyone for whom you'd like to purchase a gift. Write down at least two gift ideas for each person as well as the total you feel comfortable spending.

3. At the end, add up the amounts you have allocated for everyone. Expect to be shocked: 9 times out of 10 it's much greater than your budget total.

What to do?

We need to go back and start eliminating some people from the list. Maybe this is the year these good folks get a letter of appreciation from you rather than a gift.

You also want to get creative! This is truly where the fun starts. Here are some non traditional ways to honor someone.

A. Go to a charity like Oxfam and purchase some chickens for a poor family in your friend's name. You will receive a gift certificate. Of course it doesn't have to be a chicken...cows, pigs and other animals are also available.

B. Check out the class list from your local Community College. How about some dance lessons for that special couple instead of a tired old tie and a pair of earrings?

C. Food prices are high, right? What about starting a tiny herb garden for a friend who loves to cook? You won't need to purchase a kit. Go to your local nursery and pick up the supplies yourself.

What would you add to this list?

I'll be back tomorrow. In the mean time start work on your list!

Blessings,
Regina