Somehow we ended up with more leftovers than food prepared -- Thanksgiving dinner for 16 at my house and 50 to-go containers for everyone. I’m not sure how this happened. Michele, my sister said we need to keep notes for next year. She said we did right on the amount of potatoes (so in my mind, that means we need five pounds more next year …)
A friend is taking their kids on a trip instead of gifts this year - “it’s not about stuff, it’s about making memories”. I like this. More stuff doesn’t equate to a successful holiday. Mom, when we were growing up, would squirrel away gifts for the entire year and then the living room would be filled to the gills with stuff. This was great - but what I remember was hanging out and enjoying the holiday with my parents. My favorite physical gifts, however, throughout the years though has been homemade things - quilts, blankets, pictures, ceramics … I have it all and proudly display it all. I remember back in high school our band director (who was great) got sick and a couple of us wrote a song and performed it for him. That still resonates with me … making memories … cool.
I’ve told this to other people before about my perspective on gifting … and their comment back is “oh, I can’t do anything - I don’t have your talents”. I got a card in the mail today - the person I got it from is amazing at writing notes and cards and I always look forward to receiving one of hers. It makes my day. Every year we sing Christmas carols in the hallways - I look forward to having the singers back every year. One of the folks who works up in my area is great at planning parties, another at decorating, another at complimenting. Others laugh loudly and contagiously. It doesn’t take stuff to give a gift - it takes connection. Stroke the soul of the giftee (whether it’s a homemade gift, from a store, or from the heart) and you’ve got the best present ever.
