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?     

Rectify Now

During this time of the year people tend to live at the ends of the holiday spectrum. They’re either wanting to relish and relive the past or wishing they could erase it. They’re remembering life’s best moments or days they would rather forget. In both cases the past is over, the present is where we live, and the future is a plan in the works, full of dreams to attain. But, if you think we’ll always lack the ability to control time, think again.

                                     https://youtu.be/cv3DXV0Iw2w

 Slowly, scientists inch closer to altering the reality we think we know. Countless movies demonstrate the danger of tinkering with past and how it alters multi-dimensional aspects of the future. Before scientists learn to tackle time travel, we already have the capacity to impact the future. What can you do to begin demolishing today’s fears about your tomorrows?

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?   

The Joy Spot

This week while waiting at a red light, I watched a crossing guard help four little students cross the street. I don’t know if they anticipated Christmas or appreciated being with friends, but their trip across the street made me smile. One kid trotted, one skipped, one leaped, and another ran to the other side of the street. They were bursting with joy. For some reason, it’s easier to identify a happy kid than a happy adult.

We’re at the end of another year, maybe it was a tough one or your best one yet. Check out this person's perspective:

                                          https://youtu.be/pjeRxW5QHZ4

In order to celebrate the present, it helps to see past struggles as learning opportunities to triumph over new challenges. Isn’t that the greatest advice for us all? Regardless of the circumstances you face, what gives you joy?        

Hijack the Future

This week’s beautiful weather almost made us forget what the future holds. Ignoring the red and orange leaves, the high temperatures nearly convinced us to anticipate a second summer. But, we know the truth, right? Get ready to smile if you enjoy cold weather because, based on normal patterns, winter is on the way. No doubt about it. Or is there?

In addition to the cultural and political turmoil, the weather’s turning chaotic, too. Think about the monster hurricanes, record heat, and unprecedented snow accumulations we’ve seen. Forecasters think they can predict the weather until this happens:

                                          https://youtu.be/iRtwv3v4Mq0

Given the unexpected news stories, the future is as unpredictable as ever. One of the best ways to impact the future is to manage the present. If we want to see ourselves at a specific place in the future (call it point C), we need to be prepared to execute points A and B. What steps can you take now to impact your future?               

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?

 

    

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?