While the last year of
my life has taught me to be a little more spontaneous than I used to be, I am a
planner at heart. About 15 years ago I put my coordination skills to the test
when I orchestrated a Christmas experience for my family instead of giving them
traditional gifts. I planned and saved my pennies for a very long time, but
that Christmas my family members unwrapped small, inexpensive clues that
disclosed our plans to take a trip to the east coast the following summer.
The following July we
visited with an aunt, uncle, cousins, grandparents, and other extended family.
We got wet at Niagara Falls and ate lunch on Canadian soil. We visited
historical sites and had the most awesome tour guide (my brother-in-law). We
had a blast! And my children will never forget that experience–we created the
BEST memories.
The key word in my story
is not “planned”, “saved”, or even “pennies” (i.e. “money”). What you should
come away with is this…EXPERIENCE. And if you picked out NEVER FORGET and/or
MEMORIES, you get bonus points. Experiences DO NOT have to cost a lot; there
are MANY things you can do that cost very little. Kids don’t need more STUFF,
but they need experiences that will STAY.
For the next six weeks or so, I will be keeping with this theme of better Christmas presents, and I will be sharing some ideas of how to make this happen on a budget. While budgeting is important and must be considered, it’s important to remember that sometimes value isn’t just about the finances.
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