So, it is the week before Christmas, figuratively and literally and you are down to your last ten dollars and have run out of inspiration, when you realise you have forgotten someone on your list, or that someone has got something for you that you weren’t expecting and now you feel you need to reciprocate. And you need help!
Don’t panic! It’s not too late to come up with something!
My first suggestion is a picture collage. This can be easily done with free apps on your phone. You simply select all the images of you and your friend, or go to their social media and screenshot some photos of them with the people they care about if you don’t have any of yourself with them. Maybe select 10-15 pictures within the last 12 months. Upload them to the app and create a collage. Add some text and stickers and on Christmas morning pop a reminder in your phone to send it to them! Or before if you like. If you do have the time and resources, this can even be printed for low cost at your local diy photo printing station, or even at home on paper, popped in a nice frame and there you have a meaningful, thoughtful, cheap and easy gift.
https://piccollage.com/
But what happens if you have way more than 15 pics you want to use? Easy, there are apps for making these little video’s too, and they are also free. Sometimes your phone will even do it all for you and you just have to download it and send it. You can select a meaningful song or just the general tunes, like upbeat or slow sad tunes and it will play along to a slide show of the images you selected. If it is too big to send, you can get a free compressor app and that usually helps!
If all of that sounds a bit to technical for you, then my next suggestion is to get onto Spotify and create a playlist. It is really really easy to use, you just search for the songs you like, choosing ones meaningful to your friendship, or to your friend and then add them as a collaborator and they will be able to listen to your tunes on Christmas morning. Send it with a heartfelt message and let them know that music has a way of saying all the things you can’t find the words to say yourself.
Moving away from technical gifts, I am a big believer in the regift. Someone gave you a box of chocolates that you wont eat? Wrap it up and give it to someone. Maybe 3 people gave you a bath and body pack? Use one to create a little hamper for a friend with things you already had at home anyway!
If you’re not technical and you don’t have anything to regift, bake something festive and easy like coconut ice or craft them something from home, like a special ornament for the tree. If neither of those are your special gifts, then maybe you could write them something? A letter or a story or something funny?
Failing all of that, find one of those cards that says you couldn’t think of the perfect thing to get them, so you didn’t get them anything and throw a scratch off card or lotto ticket inside if you can!
Remember it is the thought that counts so just do something for the people you care about to show them that you thought of them and cared enough to make some effort instead of using excuses not to do anything. A gift is a gesture of love, it makes people feel special and worth a little of your time and investment! It can say “You’re worth a lot to me” without being worth a lot of money.
Anyway folks, that’s a wrap on my Christmas posts; wishing you all Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas Friends!
❤ Love,
Your Best Friend ForNever
xx
