Gifting

The advent of winter weaves a spell in this December girl’s heart. Perhaps because I was born in this month, perhaps because of the seasonal religious traditions of the faith I was brought up in, or perhaps because the Solstice reminds me that in every ending there is also a beginning, I love this month.

Candles, lights, gifts, reflection…no matter the faith, these same objects represent a shared commonality, a universal humanity. And when it comes to gifting, I always feel better giving than receiving. But our over-consumptive society means are lives and our homes are filled with more objects than we can ever truly appreciate.

I recently read a story about a couple living in a one-bedroom apartment in New York City who collected over 14,000 contemporary art canvasses and stored them all in that small space. I found myself wondering how one would navigate such a space, physically and mentally. (The end result was, upon their death, the entire collection was gifted to a museum.)

Now that the gifting time is upon us, I am considering what presents to prepare for those I love. I’ve come up with a few creative ideas and welcome more.

Here’s is my list:

1. home-baked goods

2. a poem written specifically for the recipient

3. a gift card promising an activity we would both enjoy

4. a book to cherish and read more than once

5. an acrostic of the things I cherish about the recipient

6. hugs

7. time spent sharing, listening, and savoring our friendship

May the holidays bring many small, special, quiet blessings to each of you!