The Best Kind of Gift

A few weeks ago I met my friend Kay for dinner to celebrate my birthday. Among the many wonderful gifts she brought me that day were the scrumptious homemade chocolate chip cookies you see pictured above. I think they are quite possibly the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted. Even the hubby couldn’t keep his hands off them, which is saying a lot considering that he’s not one to favor sweets.

Many of us cringe at holiday time or any gift giving occasion, especially right now when we are trying to save what pennies we do have. Somewhere along the line, someone got the idea that buying gifts meant you needed to be extravagant and go out of your way to impress the recipient. I’m here to tell you that that’s not really so.

Those of us who are crafty have bestowed many a handmade gift on our friends and families. Sometimes it is to their delight and others . . . not so much. There are those who appreciate the time and effort that goes into a handmade gift. I consider myself one of those people. Personally, I am much more touched at the thought that was put into something vs. the price tag.

If you don’t consider yourself the crafty type, never fear. If you find that you are short on cash, you might be surprised at the number of creative things you can come up with to do for someone. Got a green thumb? Offer to plant a garden in a friend’s yard. If you can cook or bake well, then make them their favorite meal. Perhaps you have a friend who is stressed out and short on time ~ offer to help with cleaning or child care. In these times when most of us are super busy, the gift of one’s time is surely as priceless as the gift of friendship itself.