The Gift of You
Your own experiences and skills can produce the best present of all
Volunteer Beverly Brown of Allentown is one of the caring community drivers who take people to their medical appointments as part of Wheel Time, a program of the Community Exchange volunteer network. (For details on the program, click here.)
Metalcrafter Jeff Erb of Macungie created a treeshaped wall trellis for his wife, Audrey—and she made him a metal heart.
This holiday season, skip the mall. The gifts that will be most treasured are those that come from within you—your experiences, skills, memories, possessions and traditions.
“Giving a gift of self is so personal. People appreciate the time you’ve taken to create something just for them,” says psychologist Joanne Cohen-Katz, Ph.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “In a culture that’s chronically overscheduled, it helps you stay connected and feel valuable.”
All of us have gifts within us. You needn’t be a great writer or artist to create something beautiful. “Think about what you enjoy doing—perhaps baking, or growing flowers,” Cohen-Katz says. “Then think about what the recipients would most enjoy. They don’t expect perfection.”
Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Pass down family recipes, perhaps in the form of a cookbook that includes anecdotes and family traditions.
- If you’re a gardener, give homemade jams, dried flowers, flavored vinegars or coupons for fresh produce you’ll deliver next summer.
- Offer to babysit, walk someone’s dog, provide rides, or do car or lawn care.
- Pass along a family heirloom such as a piece of jewelry. (The sentimental value may far outweigh the dollar value.)
- If you’re handy on the computer, organize someone’s family pictures into a virtual photo album.
- Make someone a doll, quilt or crocheted scarf.
- Take someone on a shared adventure—fishing, a visit to a spa, dinner at an ethnic restaurant.
- Offer to teach a skill you’re good at, such as bridge, knitting, photography or plant identification.
Your memories and experiences are perhaps your greatest gift. You can share them in the form of a scrapbook, written memoir, or even audio- or videotape. “We all have insights and wisdom to offer, even if we think we’ve lived an unremarkable life,” says Henry Marchand, writing professor at Cedar Crest College. “Sitting down with a notepad or keyboard is a terrific way to unlock the treasures of memory—and people love to hear each other’s stories.”
Fresh out of ideas for this holiday season? Cruise the local craft shop or adult education catalog for a new skill you’d like to learn. It could translate into some very special gifts next year.
Want to Know More about writing a memoir? Call 610-402-CARE or click here.
Published from Healthy You Magazine, November-December 2008
This page last updated 10/22/08 02:53 PM
