The Perfect Gift

Courtesy of iStock/RomoloTavani

As soon as it popped in my head, I knew this was it—this was the gift. Not just any gift, but the gift that would bring the biggest smile. So, I bought it … for all three of them. And now I’m waiting in anticipation with a big, goofy smile of my own for Christmas to get here.

 

For me, that is what the perfect gift does: it brings a smile to the receiver’s face and to the giver’s. I was taught when purchasing a gift, “buy the gift that you would like to receive.” While there is truth in that logic, I think that to get the reaction I am seeking, I have to dig a little deeper. I follow a logic that sounds more like, “give the gift the receiver would like to receive.”

 

And, to succeed at this task … well, you have to know the receiver. I mean really know the receiver—their likes, dislikes, hobbies, and deepest desires. When you are armed with that level of knowledge, you are able to give the gift that says, “Hey, I get you. I know what touches your heart. I know the passions that drive your soul and I wanted you to know that … so I’m showing you with this gift.”

 

On a surface level, this might sound materialistic, but this isn’t about consumerism—it’s about connection. This means that the gift looks different to different people. Like the loved one who tells us year after year, “Please don’t spend a lot of money on a lot of stuff. I already have more than I need.” Maybe what this really means is that all the “stuff” in their possession is not filling their need. Maybe, instead, a bit of your time would be the perfect gift. Time can be the gift.

 

Or like the individual who is shut in due to sickness or other circumstances and would love fifteen or twenty minutes of sitting together and talking with you. To some, human interaction is the gift.

 

To others—like a grandparent or elderly friend who would enjoy your help raking the leaves or doing small repairs around their home—your strength and assistance are the gift.

 

The gift is going to look different for each receiver, but I want to give the thing that is going to bring a smile to someone’s face. That gift—the perfect gift—says we are connected … I care about you. And isn’t that what all of us really want anyway?

 

The special gift I am eagerly waiting to give three of my loved ones is material, yes—but, when used, it will also involve the gifts of time and human interaction. And I’m hoping, more than that, it will create treasured memories full of smiles. (Stay tuned to my Facebook page for updates after Christmas!)

 

This holiday season, I hope you will find yourself in the midst of the love and joy that come with both giving and receiving the perfect gift.