The Greatest Gift

With Christmas behind us, you’ve probably labored over what to give the most hard-to-buy-for person on your shopping list. You usually can’t go wrong with the default idea— gift cards. Since we gave several gift cards this year, it’s no surprise that one of them appeared to lack the dollar value we put on them. How frustrating!

After moving past the disappointment, we hunt around for the all-important receipt. Hopefully, it’s not trashed. Hopefully, the person receiving your gift feels better than this:

                                         https://youtu.be/907JjJZrP2M

Your gift might elicit laughter and smiles, frowns, curiosity or tears, especially if it’s flawed, unnecessary or downright ridiculous. What gift do you continue to appreciate as time passes?    

What Neighbors Do

We had a few surprises this week. Although we awakened to clear roads, snowflakes  blanketed the streets late into the evening. Some neighbors received a second surprise when one of our kids, willing to chalk up volunteer hours for a club, shoveled sidewalks—for three hours. I’m guessing a whole block of folks peeked outside and cheered. There’s nothing like receiving a gift you need when you least expect it. Some of the best gifts look like this:

                                         https://youtu.be/235_c7pdHxQ

Good causes paid forward always create lasting lessons. Paying something forward doesn’t always cost money, sometimes taking a couple of extra seconds to lend a hand makes a world of difference. Given today’s cranky culture, now’s the perfect time to put a smile on someone’s face. How will you do it? Let us know and post below.  

Your End Game

Most people love this time of the year—the lights, the festivities, the gifting—there are downsides, too, like the traffic, the stress, and the leaves. Sure, they looked beautiful hanging from trees, but now they litter the ground looking like a lot of work. Few people enjoy raking leaves. Families try to make it a fun time, but it’s only the little leaf pile-jumpers who enjoy the event, and usually after a series of questions like, “Are we done yet?” or “Can we get a snack?” and the straight-to-the-point comment, “This stinks!”

As soon as the leaves are cleared, we realize that we forgot to look up. When we do, we spot tree branches still harboring enough leaves to fill several bags. Here’s how we’d like to handle things:

                                          https://youtu.be/VsNdmRB-kF4

Sometimes, regardless of how painful the journey feels, the only thing we can do is go through the process. It’s okay to have a moment of moaning and groaning, but then we need to pick up our rakes and get to work making things better. What work do you need to finish to reach the better side of a tough situation?

    

Outside the Gift Box

After all the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s time for the most relaxing part—gift wrapping. Let your creativity soar by matching paper and bows, name tags and ribbons, or not. I’ve seen at least one person wrap gifts in newspaper. Once you’ve shelled out the money for gifts, free newspaper or brown paper bags for wrapping gifts fit right into the shopping budget. And for those of us too pooped to wrap, we can always replace wrapping with those amazing, decorated gift bags.

The worse part of wrapping is tackling the awkward, oddly shaped item that reveals itself as soon as the recipient spots it. There’s no way to disguise those gifts. If you’re giving a car this year, don’t bother wrapping it, settle for the traditional, oversized bow. And if you’re wrapping something like this, just do your best:  

                                     https://youtu.be/jm3dm5J5r0A

 On Facebook, someone posted a message that mentioned how every year their Christmas list gets shorter because they want more and more things that money can’t buy. What’s the gift you want for someone that could never be wrapped?     

Can’t Stop the Feeling

This is exciting. What a night to be alive. That comment came from a young relative celebrating the Survivor season premiere and the Big Brother finale airing on the same evening. Although I enjoy the shows, I can think of at least several more exciting scenarios. I’m sure you can, too. Maybe they include one of these suggestions: 

                                     https://youtu.be/QIfvyXczhWo

 A castle, a digger, a dragon… The wish lists go on and on. Christmas is still a couple of months away, so I hesitate to mention it so early, but there’s no time like the present to begin thinking about how to make the season extra special. Your giving doesn’t have to be limited to friends and family, offering charitable assistance to any one of the many organizations that do good work will cause you to celebrate simply because you’re healthy and alive. What type of charitable organization would you consider supporting?   

Tools, Talent and Time

I have a talent for spotting tools—on the street. Not long ago, I saw a man strolling down the street carrying a chainsaw. The scene resembled something out of a horror movie. This week, I spotted a man crossing the street with a drill in his hand, holding it like a gun. Maybe it’s me, but if you need to transport a tool, put it inside a bag until you've arrived at your destination. Brace yourself when you see people using tools in unconventional places. Here’s an example: 

                                           https://youtu.be/tebBXrIEW7E

The manufacturer didn’t make the saw to spread salmonella. Tools, designed for particular purposes, belong in specific situations. Tools are like talents and gifts, they require proper care.

If you’re a singer, you develop your gift by enrolling in vocal classes to learn how to stay in tune. If you’re a serious singer, you protect your vocal cords from the cold with a scarf, and do exercises to warm them up before performing. Although you’ll find outstanding singers singing in subway tunnels, you don’t usually find them singing while roaming neighborhoods. That would be as peculiar as exposing a tool in the streets.   

There is a special gift tucked inside every one of us. When it’s time to unveil yours, who will it benefit?  

If You're Captivating

Help! I’m stuck on You Tube and I can’t get off. Yeah, it happened. I tried to send an S.O.S. text to the kids to come get me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen long enough to type it. Who doesn’t get trapped on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and the many other captivating social media sites?  

I got online to look for a music video, migrated to (Name a Country’s) Got Talent, and ended with my favorite—flash mobs! It was that kind of evening. Here’s one of the time-stealing videos I watched: 

                                         https://youtu.be/qDqTBlKU4CE

Hilarious! The judges’ expressions seemed to say, “You’re singing what?” How does a huge voice like that come from such a small mouth? The little singer seemed matter-of-fact, but she had an extraordinary gift to share.

There was no English translation on the initial video I saw. This one packed more power because it explained how she found her song. I want to know how she found that voice. Her video collected over fourteen million hits. That’s huge! If you could make a video guaranteed to attract millions of viewers, what would you share with the world?  

 

P.S. I typed the last word in this post, glanced up, and saw this face flash across the TV screen: https://youtu.be/SwhtbtSmcDs  What a gift!          

 

Under Your Nose

We may have a new couch potato in the house.  This week our cat had an “aha” moment—she discovered television. During the past eight years, she has never paid attention to the TV. But for some reason, this week she decided to watch an exercise video. She walked over to the same TV we’ve had for years and plopped herself down, just two inches from the screen. I probably should have warned her to move back before she ruined her eyes. Standing behind her, I could see her head moving from side to side as if the show were a tennis match. A couple of times she touched the screen with her paw. Awww! Maybe our cat has discovered a new hobby.

Have you ever found something, only to realize it was under your nose the entire time? Is the best book you’ll ever read sitting on your bookshelf? Or is your future favorite outfit the one you bought, stuffed in the closet and forgot? Check out another incredible find:   

                                          http://youtu.be/koEynMsIJS4

Isn’t it fascinating to think that someone you know from afar could be related to you?  Some of the best discoveries you’ll ever make may be closer than you think. What’s your primary mission right now? What kind of resources are sitting right under your nose?         

Super Size It

Oops!  I went too far.  By mistake, I passed the food display board and the wonky intercom without ordering. I only wanted a quick beverage and the lunch rush hadn’t begun, so the cashier wasn’t too annoyed that I skipped drive-thru protocol. Given the season’s numerous parties and gift exchanges, I hope you don’t find yourself filled with regret and feeling that you went too far. Here’s an opportunity to remember that we all have our crazy moments—like this one: 

                                              http://youtu.be/WnY59mDJ1gg

A musical at the supermarket—that’s unexpected. Did the actors get permission first?  You know you’ve gone too far if no one gets your shtick or if management asks you to leave. The shoppers came for the food, and received a lot more. Instead of worrying about going too far, do you ever wonder if you’ve gone far enough? When have you wished you had done a little more?

 

    

What’s Your Treasure?

What makes a great gift? I received a pine tree during the holidays. The plant only measured about eight inches high, but with time and the right environment, it could grow up to two hundred feet. Now that’s a gift. Isn’t it amazing that something so small has the potential to grow so large? The next time someone asks me if anything is new I may say, “Well, I am growing a two-hundred-foot tree inside my house.” There’s a conversation starter.

I’m sure we all have a few unique items sitting in our homes, items with a story about how we acquired them or why we think they’re special. Perhaps you have a collection like one of these:

                                         http://youtu.be/LV-8_ZAG9HQ   Britain’s 5

 As a child, I collected unusual pebbles and kept them hidden in a small, white box under my bed. I remember admiring the smooth or glittery ones the most. I still like finding pretty shells at the beach and I’ll usually bring some home, but no more than a handful. The collections in the video started small and then took on a life of their own. Items often become favorites when they’re odd, evoke wonder and emotion or because they’re connected to a special event or person.   

What’s your most treasured item and why is it so special?       

Giving More Than a Party?

Our cat had a birthday last week.  We didn’t throw her a party and I’m not sure she wanted one. She received extra attention and a little bit of tuna; fortunately, she doesn’t require much.

I like celebrating birthday and holidays however the fun diminishes under the weight of commercialization when ads push me to purchase expensive cards and extravagant gifts. The spending frenzy causes too much pressure.  Sometimes we believe that buying an expensive gift symbolizes the depth of our love. How much better would our relationships be if we treated one another well and simply made guilt-free gift purchases? 

 Conversely, we can be guilt-free and still pull out the stops on our gift-giving. Watch how this pet owner demonstrates her special connection to her dog:

The dog looked confused. He probably expected a bone. Selecting the best gift means focusing on the birthday person’s desires, even if we would never choose that item for ourselves. So, if a friend knew you really well, what perfect gift would they give you?