Give The Gift Of Time
By Anne Osmer
The holidays are high in expectations, energy and anxiety. Our many holiday responsibilities can wear us out, leaving little time to spend with others in a meaningful way.
But spending time with loved ones can be a welcome salve to a body battered by shopping and holiday preparations.
A few years ago I created a tradition with my niece and older daughter when I invited Nathalie over to decorate gingerbread houses. The two three-year old girls had fun putting icing and candy on the houses I had assembled the night before (from a kit – I have some time, but I'm not Martha Stewart!). The crowning moment came when we put the finished houses on a table in the living room and took a picture. The girls were thrilled and talked about it – literally – for months.
Two Christmases and 4 gingerbread houses later, I make it a habit to schedule our house-decorating time in, enjoying the respite from other holiday chores.
A while ago my husband and I started giving outings as a gift to our niece and two nephews that live nearby: I took Drew and two of his friends bowling, and Henri and some friends to a movie. We've given sleepover movie nights at our house, complete with pizza and popcorn. My sister and I recently took our girls to a play for their birthdays.
The kids love it, and for more than just the event or outing. We're spending time with them and that makes them feel special.
Giving the gift of time doesn't have to apply just to kids. Couples can give each other a couples massage, or tickets to a concert. Parents of teenagers might give a night out to their child – he or she picks the time and place (with or without a friend or two), and mom or dad comes along and pays for it.
It sounds corny, but it's when you spend time with a family member or longtime friend that special moments happen, memories become immutable, traditions are created.
Take a moment to see through all the lights and bustle this holiday season, and see what matters to you. Take – and give – some time.
