Skip to main content

Stand Out

I heard Christmas music in the store today. I should not have been shocked, but I was.

It seems that Christmas paraphernalia ends up in the stores earlier and earlier every year. Retailers are vying to get your attention so you’ll use your finite Christmas dollar to buy their product instead of someone else’s. This invokes multiple issues in my mind, but the one I’d like to address today is this–do we really need all this STUFF? When is enough enough?

Because I was curious, I typed this phrase into Google: “things that will make you happy”. I was, again, a little surprised at what came up, this time pleasantly so. One of the top sites in the search result listed things that were not “things.” The “things” that make us truly happy are not tangible items (in fact, one of the “things” was actually getting rid of “things” by decluttering). They are experiences.  

If you think back on Christmas or birthday celebrations from your youth, I am willing to bet that your favorites probably involved a fun event rather than a particular gift (unless you got a pony–I never got a pony). I invite you to recreate those feelings for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or other important children and teens in your life.

A number of years ago I really outdid myself. I planned and saved and created a really cool experience for a special person in my life. Of course, I got two tickets so I could enjoy that outing with them. What was it? A hot-air balloon ride. Was it awesome! YOU BET!

Here are some other suggestions for “experience gifts”: 

  • concert tickets 
  • sporting events tickets 
  • Discovery Hunts 
  • pedicures or manicures 
  • paint nights 
  • game night kits 

The list could go on and on, and as Christmas gets closer, I just might! If you want a sneak peek at that list, visit your local Discover Family Fun Facebook Community. 

One of my close friends recently gave a Discovery Hunt experience to one of her grandchildren for her birthday. This is what she has to say about it, "It was so much fun being able to share this special day with family all across the country. At this point we have kids living in five different states, from Florida to Oregon and New York to Oklahoma. Using the Birthday Hunt we were able to 'be together' to share favorite memories and pics, and share everyone's version of 'Happy Birthday'. It was Awesome! We are doing this for all 41 birthdays this next year!”

Distinguish yourself this holiday season–do something new! Try an experience gift and see what a difference it can make.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

One More–Christmas Experiences Part II

Christmas is just a week away. Hopefully you’ve checked everything off your to-do list and can spend some quality time “experiencing” Christmas gifts with your family. Because, after all, your loved ones will be far more touched by how you made them feel than they will be with what you gave them. This week, I want to share with you my sister, Carey’s, family Christmas experience. “One Christmas, when my boys, now 18, 23 and 28, were little, we gave them an experience that is still talked about now. And it’s something so easily replicated that any family can do it, and it’s not too late to do it for Christmas (even ON Christmas) this year. We drove around our neighborhood and looked at all the homes decorated for the holiday. We took note of the addresses as we numbered them. We talked about what made each ornamented yards stand out. And at the end of the night, we voted for our favorite. I had my sons help me make some of our favorite holiday desserts and, in addition to taking p...
Post a Comment
Read more

It Happens Like That

And, in what seems like the blink of an eye, Memorial Day is over, school is out (or almost out), and my favorite time of the year is here! I love summer. I love it when the sun comes up early and wakes me. I love flip flops and shorts. I like to be warm (ok, not HOT, but warm). This is when I thrive. And I think it’s an excellent time to take a vacation or road trip. That being said, I plan a long time in advance for a vacation because I won’t finance one–and I’ve taken some pretty amazing vacations! I don’t usually just take off on last-minute road trips, either, but I’m learning to be more flexible in my old age. So I have done that on occasion, too.  Now, this blog post isn’t about the last-minute drives I’ve engaged, cruises I’ve embarked, or the countries I’ve explored (being a debt-free, self-employed, budget-loving, young, empty-nester has its perks!). This post is about getting you to a point where you, too, can take vacations without stressing about paying for it late...
Post a Comment
Read more

Know Your Limits

When I was 17, I drove a 73 Nova. It used to be really easy to do things like changing taillights myself. That is no longer the case. If I tried that on my later-model vehicle (which is more like a computer than a car), I’d do more damage than good, because there are some thing you should just not do yourself. It will cost you more in the long run. That being said, there are probably some things that you usually pay someone else to do that are not getting done right now. My advice is to just be patient; depending on what it is and your skill level, it might end up costing you more to fix your mistakes. Let’s discuss some of those… Obviously, most if not all car repairs are just better done by a licensed, trained professional, including oil changes. They can also correctly dispose of used petroleum products. Depending on your tax filing status, a professional can help you avoid overpaying the IRS. I remember cutting my daughter’s hair when she was little, and I made a me...
Post a Comment
Read more