| ZEN CHICK
The Perfect Gift ~ Time By Gay Barefield
"Time the most precious gift one can give. Each moment is unique because it will never happen again... the gift of your time spent with others is the ultimate display of unconditional love."
L
ast Christmas I introduced the ultimate "Christmas bomb,” a Christmas without presents. At first it was greeted with frowns of disapproval and perplexed looks. Once I stated the facts, "None of us really needs anything, and we always have trouble figuring out what to give each other,” the looks then became more relaxed and smiles started to appear. The decision was made - no presents, and we were going to enjoy having more time together without the stress of shopping. It went off with only one little hitch. My oldest daughter, who loves giving gifts, did sneak in tiny presents, and we all forgave her. We ate, talked more and really enjoyed each other in a much more relaxed environment. This year as the subject came around to the "giving of gifts" I got to stand back and watch a robust shout of "no presents again this year!" The smiles and total agreement of how much more delightful the holiday season was without the stress of shopping made the decision a simple one. We then started planning our time together, from a possible carriage ride to a brunch gathering and a very competitive game of Scrabble, all involving the beauty of time well spent in each other’s company.
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burlington magazine
~Robert W. Merriweather How about you? Are you looking for that perfect gift to give your family and friends? I truly suggest giving them the best part of YOU - your time. It really is the gift that will keep on giving, long after the Christmas decorations are packed away for another year. Even if you have "little ones" on your Christmas list, the gift of time could be a year long gift: a Saturday morning ritual of a breakfast out, movie tickets for a monthly movie adventure or reading a big book one chapter at a time. Just being present with that child is so much more meaningful than the latest video game or that must have toy. The common denominator in all of this is TIME, and it is a currency of great value! Start your own traditions of swapping shopping time for real time spent with friends and family. I promise you will remember those times spent together longer than you will wear that sweater. I hope you enjoy this holiday season with all the gusto it deserves. I know that our family will vote for “the perfect gift of time” every Christmas season for years to come.