give a gift that says, "I bought this especially for you"

Whether we like it or not with the holidays comes gift giving. Many are angered that Christmas has become so much about giving a gift rather than the birth of Jesus. I say...give. I look at it as we give gifts to each other because we were given a gift.

I've even had to give way to explaining a relationship with Santa and Jesus to my very inquisitive 4 year olds.

Explanations usually go something like this... Santa gives girls and boys gifts on Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus....so with Jesus' birthday comes a party. Given this explanation we started last year having a birthday cake to help the celebration.

I like having a party on Christmas, I like the exchanging of gifts. In our home we have managed to keep Christ in Christmas if you will. I like the feeling one gets around this time of year, one often filled with hope and promise for the future. That isn't lost when you give a gift.

However, with this wonderful tradition of exchanging gifts comes the dreaded shopping. I for one enjoy attempting to find a gift that I believe will be liked by its recipient. I don't believe that last minute shopping or mindless shopping carries the spirit of the holiday. I want the gifts I give to mean something, to be special to that person.

It doesn't need to be expensive to carry meaning, but it does need to be tailored to the person intended. For example, my husband speaks of a year while in Junior High with great fondness because of the basketball team he was on. He even has games on video and seems to gain an extra bounce in his step when speaking of this wonderful time in his life. So, one year I managed to get his jersey from that season, from that championship year that meant so much to my husband. It cost all of $12 I believe, but the memory it carried cost much more than I spent. I had given my husband a gift that I felt was one of the greatest I could give. It was a perfect gift for him because it was just for him.

I usually am much more about giving than receiving gifts. I like the hunt of finding something special for those I shop for, but after almost 6 years of marriage I've realized that not everyone has the same philosophy that I have when giving a gift. Often gifts are given that have no real relevance to the recipient or no real use.

Example, I'll use my husband again. One year when my husband was a child he awoke to a gift that was more of a slap in the face than a gift. You see, he was (and still is) a Chicago Bulls fan but the wonderful basketball he was given was of the opponent....the Lakers. My husband was heartbroken because his likes/dislikes/feelings weren't portrayed in the gift.

I am sure all of us have our stories of terrible gift giving. We have all encountered or might even be the person who regifts. We see the need to give a gift more about just having something to pass along rather than being a special something from one to another. It becomes, "I have a gift, you need a gift so here" which doesn't do much to make the person receiving feel loved.

A memorable gift is one that you give with your heart, one that was picked especially for the intended. So this year, attempt to refrain from buying in bulk or just grabbing something...anything that would fill the need. Instead, shop with your heart, give something special...even if it is only a letter that lets them know how much you care and love them. After all love is the best gift you can give.

You know you are giving a good gift when you are more excited to see the recipient open the gift than whether you received one yourself.

What makes a gift memorable to you? Click here for the gift of an amazing experience, and click here to read about what others have to say about making a gift a memorable one.