| Everybody knows about the season of giving. Every year the holidays sneak
up on us and we find ourselves scrambling to find that perfect gift for
everyone on our list. This year however, the "perfect gift" takes
on new meaning. A year of devastating natural disasters has left our country
reeling with economic uncertainty. The price of gas is up, mortgage rates
are up, the cost of housing is up, the cost of home heating is up, even
my blood pressure is up. On the other hand many of us are realizing just
how lucky we really are. We endure, we help our neighbors, we support our
troops, we are grateful for our families and for what we have. And this
season, when we give, it comes more from the heart.
Now with all of the spiraling costs of everyday living perhaps less is
left to spend on giving. But whatever you spend, from a little to a lot,
we have suggestions for your holiday list. So read on, and check your
list for the perfect gift.
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- Give a gift of your time. It costs you nothing, and will mean more
than you could imagine. Offer your time to help the elderly with their
chores. Or offer to drive them to visit their friends. Offer to help
your mom with the laundry or cooking or perhaps just take the baby off
her hands for a day. Offer to shovel the snow or clean the garage for
dad. Or just give a gift certificate, for your time spent on chores
of their choice. These priceless gifts will be appreciated more than
you can imagine.
- Give a gift from the kitchen. Too many jars of fruit preserves this
year? They make great gifts nestled in a basket with a loaf of home
made bread or a dozen muffins. Large canning jars filled with the makings
of a good soup are the perfect gift for the busy housewife or even the
bachelor on your list. Find a simple recipe and layer rice, dried beans,
noodles, dried vegetables, herbs and spices in a ready to use mix with
instructions on a hang tag. Herbs from the garden, cloves of garlic
or red berries can be infused in vinegar and decanted into a festive
bottle for the salad lover. And don't forget the cookies. Shape them,
decorate them, ice them or leave them plain. Put them on a Christmas
plate and your gift will keep on giving year after year. Yummy!
- Give a gift from the hands. Crafts warm the heart and make us stop
to appreciate the beauty around us. Sew a simple denim skirt for your
teen, knit a baby blanket for your granddaughter or make moccasins for
your son. Bead a necklace, embroider pillowcases, paint wooden boxes,
make a picture frame, enlarge a photograph, paint pottery, make a mosaic
or stuff a Santa. A gift of crafts shows imagination and love.
- Give a gift of nature. Gardeners will love flowering Christmas cactuses
and bulbs, potted plants and even a potted fir tree. A gift certificate
from a seed catalog will help warm the coldest winter evenings. A weekend
in the country can be a priceless retreat from city life. Visit Spring
City and come home to nature. Wait for a sunny day and take a loved
one snow shoeing, hiking or even winter camping. Revel in winter&
;s beauty. Buy (or better yet, adopt) a pet. Even small pets like birds
lift the spirits and calm the senses.
- Give a gift of art. Visit Sanpete Spur & Silver for unique one
of-a-kind gifts. Spurs for the cowboy, jewelry for Mom, tack for your
horse and a vest for you finishes off your list. You'll find earrings,
necklaces, bracelets, medicine bags, paintings, wood carvings, and western
wear. You can even have your own designs custom made.
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