10 days until Christmas. How are you viewing giving this year?

The last 10 days until the holiday strike a bit of excitement -or fear- up depending on how prepared you are for the gift-giving season. This year has been an interesting process. For the past several years, my family and I have proclaimed a desire to spend less, and give fewer gifts that we have each actually asked for. I was happy about this shift. I am less and less of the opinion that a parade of stuff is what shows affection and love over the holidays. However, each of us still snuck around buying extra gifts and not wanting to be the one who did the least.

This year it feels like a bigger message to give well. I have been collecting over the year and now have a little cabinet full of things to give away. I have fantastic friends with whom I can make things like marmalade and other homemade treats, exactly the sort of thing I love the idea of giving this year.

If you are thinking of giving differently this year here is a list of things I have come up with that are Remabulous, yet cost very little.

Also, I must mention that I do have gift certificates available for coaching sessions. Contact us to order one for yourself or your loved ones. What better gift to give someone than the opportunity to pursue their dreams? This is a time where lots of change is underway. Be a part of the change you wish to be in the world and get some coaching under your belt to move forward. There really is no better time than now.

image: mr kris.

1. Time. This is truly our most precious resource and the most valuable one to share with loved ones. Give an hour or a day to a friend or family member. This could be to help complete a task- I know friends who swap hours to get household work done- or simply to enjoy each other's company. My stepmother makes a regular practice of spending time alone with each of her parents every year and it is something they each enjoy tremendously. Often gifts are simply a substitute for time spent together. Why not just give the real thing?
2. Experience. My brother is the king of this type of gift. Instead of giving that tea pot from crate and barrel or some other item that has to be wrapped and shipped, why not tickets to a favorite event? Or use a contact you have to let a loved one into a venue they might not otherwise see (a big one in LA- connections) Another good option in this category is lessons- a guitar lesson, sailing lesson, martial arts class. What have they said they always wanted to do? Help them get started!
3. Work Swag. Seriously. Last year I thought I was being a bit silly when I started hoarding galley copies of books to give to family. It seemed sort of fun to have books not in hardback and months before they came out. Who knew that this would be the absolute hit of Christmas? So just because it is commonplace for you to get certain items at work doesn't mean someone else wouldn't find it incredibly exotic and fun. Keep your eyes open at work. There may be a goldmine there. 
4. Homemade items. There is nothing I love more than gifts that people have made. Some of my favorites: mix cds, knitted things, food and treats, artwork, a song a friend once wrote for my birthday, and a gorgeous headband. What are you good at making? Again, see above in work swag that just because it feels like no big deal for you to make something, doesn't mean someone else could make one easily. I have never felt more honored than when someone has taken time and effort to make something for me. If you have last minute gifts you need, see if there is something you can make. It will probably save you money and also mean much more to your receiver than you can imagine. Don't have time time to make it yourself? Buy homemade goods- check out etsy as a great source.
5. Expertise. Going further than time, do you have a qualification or provide a service than might be valuable to your loved ones? Offer them the chance to benefit from it. I have given Reiki sessions and coaching time as gifts before and it has been enormously rewarding. Your abilities can be a gift, too, so think about how you might like to share them. Making pretty gift certificates is a nice way to formalize the offering. 
6. Letters. One of my intentions (I try not to say resolutions as it feels so dry and demanding) is always to write more letters. It is so rare to see a bright little envelope with personal writing in the mail these days. In the past, I have loved receiving friends' Holiday update letters. One gift that would be most welcome in every mailbox would be a personal letter along with, or in lieu of, a basic Christmas card. Taking the time to share thoughts with your recipient is a great gift and one that shows you value them enough to step away from e-mail and send something special. For those friends you wish you saw more often, or for family members you won't get to see at the Holiday, get out some paper and pen and send then some stories of your year and your thoughts. Letters are worth far more than the forty-two cents it takes to send them for both writer and reader. Check out these gorgeous cards from my friend Ann to write on!
7. Donations. I have appreciated the fact that the last few years, my grandfather and stepgrandmother have sent in a donation to the Heifer Project instead of gifts to their grandchildren. It feels far better to know that a family has a chance to raise a goat and have milk in their diet than it would to have some other gift. For the worldly-minded on your list, give them the honor of being the impetus to make the world a little bit better for others this year. 

Whatever you give, know that your intention to honor the recipient of your gift will always shine through. I hope we are all able to enjoy this holiday season without too much stress and to really take time to connect with each other and enjoy the season. There has been a lot of stress and turmoil this past year. Now is the time to rejuvenate and celebrate.

Much love to you all from Remabulous!