AD | Collaborative post
Christmas is just 87 days away and it has really made me start thinking about how we view the special season that appears each year. Most people nowadays view the day (and season in general) as a chance to get, get, and get some more. I know I am victim to that thought process and I know that I am also on the other side of it because, well, it is hard not to spoil your husband, kids, and even other family members that you love! I can bet that every single person reading this article has fallen victim to one of these mindsets before: either giving too much, or being in the mindset of get, get, get. Am I right?
This year, I really want to take time to focus on the things that are important. Instead of making the many gifts the highlight of the season, I will focus on love, laughter, happiness, family time, and giving the things that are truly important. Below, I have added ideas for different ways that you can do all of this with me!
Focusing on laughter, love, and happiness
There are so many times that we do not focus on laughter, love, and happiness in our lives, and the perfect time to start focusing on it is during the holidays! Make the season special and focus on love by going on a date night with the one you love, volunteering your time to make someone else (or other people) feel loved during the holiday, or by doing something as small as waking up and making your family a breakfast that you know they love. Focus on laughter by doing things that are fun to you and allow yourself to say no to the things that you do not enjoy. And finally, focus on happiness by incorporating both love and laughter into your life, starting during the Christmas season.
Creating more family time
There are so many ways to create more family time during the holidays. From little things like having a Christmas movie marathon together and maybe having a slumber party in the living room to important things like volunteering together or even decorating your home. Either way, find ways to spend more time together and create fun new traditions that will be around for years to come. If you search Google or Pinterest, you can find many great Christmas traditions to use in your family. Some of my favorites are the four gift rule, the Santa bag, night before Christmas box, and the giving plate.
Giving meaningful gifts
In order to give meaningful gifts, you have to know the person you are giving to. Think about their likes and dislikes. Consider what they need, or what they have excess of and do not need. Do they love to grill? If so, think about what they need for their grill, or what they would really love for it. For example, some ideas for that person would be high quality meat, personalized spatulas, a new grill mat, or even a new grill if it is needed.
Being creative with your gift is another way that you will succeed when it comes to giving meaningful gifts. For example, if they love movies or video games, think outside the box. Instead of giving them just another DVD, or just another gift card to see a movie, really get creative with it. One idea that I found for this person would be a movie replica sword. John is really into this kind of thing and this is the kind of present he would absolutely love for Christmas.
I found some on the Swords of Northshire website – they have options like an Assassins Creed sword, a Braveheart sword, a Kill Bill sword, and many others. On top of replicas, they also offer customized Kantanas, Samurai Swords, Ninja Swords, Knives, and accessories. One reason that I really like Swords of Northshire is because you are able to read their customer reviews for yourself, and you will see reviews like this one: “I collect all kinds of swords, and I can honestly say the one I just got from swords of northshire is my favourite and one of the best quality blades I’ve ever gotten thank you so much!” Seeing what other people think of a product has a massive impact on what I do and do not buy, which is why I write them myself!
Another option for online swords buying is from Romance of men. They are another great shop for real handmade katana swords, and even Japanese armors. They have been in the business for many years and have a great online reputation. You can watch YouTube reviews of their swords, with positive reviews that show that their swords are high quality and affordable.
Do you have any favorite ways you focus on the important things in the season? I would love to know in the comments below!