It's the Thought That Counts

So have you frantically started shopping for Christmas gifts yet? Yeah, me neither.
It's funny, I used to have a distinct Christmas pattern.

Every year, I would begin making my Christmas list in about August. I'd start shopping in about October, and I'd be done by Thanksgiving. Yeah, I know. Insane,right? But I always figured it was more insane to be frantically rushing about at the last minute, grabbing anything that seemed halfway decent.

I don't care for crowds. I especially hate to stand in line for anything. I will forgo a bathroom for an extra HOUR if it means I won't have to stand in line. I'm not a fan of holiday traffic, insufficient parking spaces, or disgruntled cashiers. So I like to beat the Christmas rush. It's probably the two years I spent working in retail during college. That alone is enough to make you hate Christmas.

Of course, shopping online is a dream come true for people like me right? Except that I really love to touch things before I buy them. It's a tactile thing, I suppose. So I don't do a lot of online shopping for gifts for other people (unless of course it's something I've already seen and touched for myself in a store somewhere!)

This year, I have a whole different view on Christmas.

After Hurricane Katrina, everything is different.

This year, my entire family will be together for Christmas, for the first time in I can't tell you how long. Oh yeah, it's gonna be different allright. And my folks have decided to get out of their house (a decision that was a long time in the making, which Katrina helped expedite, thankfully!) and build in the country, on my sister and brother-in-law's property. Great news all around.

So I find myself putting even more thought than usual into my Christmas list this year.

I don't think about what would look good on the person, what they mentioned that they wanted, or what their favorite color is.

I don't worry about the price.

I don't worry about shipping (after all, I'll be bringing them with me, personally!)

This year, there's only 1 question to consider, the one driving force behind all my seasonal purchases this year:

What is the most meaningful gift I can give this person?

That question is the same for you - while you're doing your Christmas shopping. Let me know how it all works out.