By Healthy Aging | Published December 13, 2022
The holiday season is in full swing, complete with gatherings of family and friends. For some, however, the holidays can bring on worries and concern over what is really meaningful. Here are some tips for how to push back on those feelings and how to sail through the holidays with a smile on your face.
Adding Meaning to Holiday Gift-Giving
Ken Honda, author of “Happy Money” and creator of “The Happy Money Healing Program,” has three tips for finding truly meaningful holiday gifts:
1) Choose Innate Value Over Perceived Value
Name-brand bags, shoes, cars, and toys are all attractive because their perceived value makes us feel special. But perceived value is fleeting, as the next “hottest” thing will soon be out.
The deeper truth is that the person you give the gift to is already naturally valuable. The more you connect with the qualities that make them unique and share those as gifts, the more people will remember their own specialness.
These gifts become an added joy in their lives instead of a source of joy, and this practice helps teach young ones that value is innate instead of something to be found outside themselves.
2) Intention Is Felt More Than Price Tag
If you can’t afford a Mercedes for your loved one this year, don’t feel guilty. Big expensive gifts are exciting, but people are truly moved by the intention behind them, not the price tag.
The amount of love given does not equal the size or expense of a gift. No matter what you can afford, the amount of love you give to thinking about, acquiring, wrapping, and giving a gift will trump the amount of money you spend on it, whether it be purchased from Dior or the Dollar Store.
3) Get Creative and Share Your Own Gifts
When money is tight, sometimes sharing your own gifts is a very special way to give something meaningful to someone you love without breaking your budget. I’m not talking about a gift you buy at the store, but specifically, the innate gifts and talents you were born with, such as musical gifts, artistic sensibilities, and something special that only you can do. If you love singing, a special performance would be a one-of-a-kind gift that means a lot. What act of service could you do in a special or unique way?
Read the full article here: https://healthyaging.net/travel/ask-the-experts/10-holiday-tips-for-keeping-your-spirits-bright/
