Tis The Season

Yep its that time again, or well, its coming anyhow lol  The Christmas Holiday Season is just around the corner - in fact its only 38 days away!  As the bedlam starts in search of the ever elusive and popular "perfect" Christmas Gifts, I wanted to add my two cents about this chaotic search.

This year be sure to get an extra special holiday gift!  Be sure to shop LOCAL! Be it a small book store, local crafter, photographer, pet supply store etc.  Be sure to spend your stashed holiday funds with them.  Why? Because those local small businesses help create jobs in YOUR towns.  They help create jobs, pay taxes & also most of them also GIVE BACK to their communities as well, so it comes back to you in its own special way.  As well, those hand made crafted gifts - they are extra special, taking extra time, thought & care in not only their creation but also in their purchase - and its guaranteed to pretty much be one of a kind & uniquely special.  Local photographers photos also look better and are able to work more with you on what you would like in a holiday photo and capture who you and your family really are - and if you have furkids - you can also include them in your fun Holiday Greetings as well; for often LESS than the price of a corporate giant who gives you the first tossed together pose and costs a TON more.  And as you shop at those local shops & crafty places or get your photos done etc, be sure to stop into those small diners/cafes  - you'll often get a better meal for the same price or cheaper and will get to actually sit down and spend some time with your family together.  Remember this money spent stays IN YOUR COMMUNITY and keeps a business running and puts food on the table, gas in the car etc. of a family in YOUR TOWN.  They pay taxes on their home, their business, spend money in other local shops and keep the cycle going, keeping the money, jobs etc. IN YOUR TOWN, not a corporate giants golden lined pockets.

The other part of this special post about the upcoming holiday season is extra special to me too. Its something I not only learned as a child,  but continue to do and encourage others to do.  The reason for the season is not greed or getting.  It is about spending time with those you love & GIVING.

With that in mind, be sure this season to GIVE BACK to your community as a family.  Be it giving your time helping out at a local food bank, soup kitchen, animal rescue group, fundraising, collecting toys etc.  or be it helping out in other ways like putting that loonie in the kettle, or picking one child from the giving tree who wont even HAVE a Christmas without your help; help a family in need by adopting a family food basket, send a Card or Gift Box to a soldier over seas away from their families for the Holidays, send a gift to a child stuck in the Hospital for the holidays, visit a Seniors Home & spend some time with a loving senior who may not have a family that comes to visit for the Holidays, or the number of other really great organizations that truly need your help.  Be Creative! Pick a cause and discuss as a family how you will choose to help them and why its so important to do so.  It is a lesson I promise will stick with your family for a lifetime.  And if you have a person on your list who is hard to shop for - do something in their name - like helping that child on the giving tree or donating money in their name.  There are a million great ways to GIVE this holiday season - it might seem like something small - but to those who receive the gifts you give - it means the world.  Some of my own special memories include always giving to the Giving Tree to children less fortunate & choosing one of our unwrapped gifts to go to them as well.  I learned very young its more important to GIVE, and is something I try to do year round now as well.  Its a lesson greatly cherished and well learned.

Another great thing to do is to spend TIME with those you love.  It might sound corny, but do some fun things, be it giving back, checking out Christmas lights, singing carols etc. Be sure to spend some extra special time with those you love. It might sound bleak, but spend it as if you didn't get another Christmas with them, and make it extra special.  We never know what the future holds and sadly sometimes we don't realize its our last Christmas we get to spend with those we love so create those extra special memories while you can.  Last year just after the holidays, I lost my father to Cancer, I know too well this lesson as well.  Create the memories while you can, you don't always get a second chance.  Children will not necc. remember the toys they got or the really awesome sweater - but they WILL remember the laughter and love shared during the holidays.  I know I still do.

Now, go forth and find those great extra special gifts from your LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES, GIVE BACK & SPEND SOME TIME WITH THOSE YOU LOVE as you get ready to celebrate the Christmas Holiday Season and have an extra spectacular Holiday Season this year.

*side note*
Since writing this article - I actually have added a special section to my website titled "TIS THE SEASON"
it has 3 sections - SHOP LOCAL, SPENDING TIME TOGETHER & HELPING OTHERS.  If you are local to the sunshine coast be sure to check it out for great local shops, artisans and more as well as a ton of great ideas on things to do together and great causes to help too this holiday season!  If you are not on the list - by all means be sure to give me a shout HERE and let me know and I will happily add your business, organization or great ideas to the page!