ALT-3 Good Gifting Spend Time instead of Money
The view of Christmas has become skewed over the years by a few people. For some it is all about the gift. How big is it? How Flashy! How many buttons, doodads and flashy dials does it have? Is it one of the hot toys? Is it a Zune, an IPAD, an eReader, a laptop or a Cell phone. Perhaps it needs to be a nice Shiny Lexus Tied up with a big Red Bow. How much you spend has slowly become synonymous -at least in the eyes of the marketers looking to profit- with how much you care.
To be plain, that is bull. In my opinion the holidays are a time of giving, but giving because you care and want someone to be happy. This has little to do with actual money spent. A gift of time instead of money can be worth much more than some toy that will be outdated 3 weeks after it is purchased. Here are a few ideas for good gifting and spending time instead of money.
♦ Crafts
People sometimes make fun of the ill-fitting sweaters knitted by gramma. This should not be the case a craft that is labored over for hours with love and caring. Of course if you make a craft for someone it should be something that you are good at. Making a birdhouse for someone that looks like a Van Gogh painting might not be the best present. But if someone is handy and can build some, knit, whittle it means so much more than just spending money.
♦ Fix things
It does not have to be a “craft” of the traditional source, either. If you are handy with computers you could spend hours on your significant others laptop. You could organize it, remove Trojans and viruses, install software, download more music, videos, defragment the hard drive. Basicall make an old computer run like new and give her things that will entertain her, all for free or minimal costs. The same could be done for a car or numerous other things if you have skill that someone else you care for lacks.
♦ Coupon books for Parents
Children do not have to spend large amounts of money on their parents. This is a case where the thought really counts. Write up an official promise to do better in school. Make a coupon book with chores you will do (that are above and beyond what is expected of you). A kid could even try to make their parents a romantic dinner. After all the thought is what counts.
♦ Coupon books for Significant Others
The same ideas apply as with children. Even some of the same “chores” can be listed. You can of course make many of the chores more “risqué” and exciting for “adults”. But things like re-grouting your wife or girlfriends tub might be as exciting as the risqué parts. Though, speaking for guys, nothing beats the risqué stuff for most of us, ladies.
Times are tough financially. There is no need to dig yourself into a financial hole that you cannot get out from just because you think you HAVE to because of Christmas. Try to spend your time rather than money for you loved ones. Chances are they really do love YOU and not your money. Christmas is a time for togetherness. Give them the gift of your time.
