GIFTS ARE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TODAY
7 ideas for ‘tasty and cosy’ Christmas gifts: We need new ideas for creative Christmas gifts in this strange and different year. Today a gift has much more value and can be a symbol of concrete closeness. In difficult times, it is important to be even more imaginative and creative. The usual gifts are not enough, we need to go and strike the inner chords of family and friends.
Perhaps our loved ones feel isolated, frightened, perhaps ill, or out of work… this is the time when we need to tighten our bonds, the real ones, and build strength. We realize who our true friends are, and we need to show them. The gift then becomes much more important than usual.
THE TRADITION OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS
There are those who trace the origin of the Christmas gift back to the traditions of ancient Rome, those who define it as an adaptation of even older traditions, such as among the Sabines seven centuries before Christ, when the custom of giving the king a laurel branch from the sacred forest was apparently born.
What is certain is the reference to the Magi: “And behold, the star, which they had seen in its rising, went before them, until it came and stood over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. When they entered the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and prostrating themselves they adored him. Then they opened their chests and offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Mt 1:9-11)
To offer something beautiful, to bring a symbol of something important, to tell a little about oneself, to express the unspoken: all this is the gift.
I share a few simple ideas for those who have not yet finished their shopping.
HONEY IS GOOD ALSO TO SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENT
Honey is one of the ‘super foods’, that is good for you. It is full of vitamins. It also has great symbolic value: in the Bible, the Promised Land is where milk and honey flow, and honey is always the comparison for the word of G_d.
Giving the gift of a basket with samples of different types of honey is an inexpensive, useful and environmentally friendly sign. This is a way of supporting beekeepers who are crucial to the future of the planet.
Choose products from small local companies, who will be happy to send your baskets to your destination. Along with honey, beekeepers usually offer beeswax candles (a far cry from artificial candles), candies and propolis.
TRADITIONAL CAKES
Among this year’s changes, we save the habit of shipping products home. This allows us to place our orders in small artisanal businesses even far away from us. For traditional sweets, in addition to the bakeries in our neighbourhood or in the next village, we can look for something very special like pistachios from Bronte, or organic orange marmalade from Sicily, or nougat from Abruzzo, and why not, sugared almonds from Sulmona.
Sending a cake or a basket of small samples of sweets will be a nice surprise for those who are more isolated.
ART WORKS
Artists are one of the categories that suffer the most, many have had to stop their work completely. For those who can: contact an artist and buy one of their works, you will be supporting all art. Some have thought about silkscreen prints, for example, which are cheaper but still of great value.
Giving a work of art as a gift is a sign of great civility and a contribution to giving the planet back its soul.
7 IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS: SUBSCRIPTIONS
For people you know best, you can think about giving them a subscription. There are many types, and it is always a very welcome gift, but you have to be sure that the person wants it. It could be a subscription to a VOD film platform, a site for listening to good music, a magazine (it has its own charm to receive a magazine at home), or a subscription to an online fitness course. The possibilities are endless.
THE HOMEMADE GIFT
7 ideas for Christmas gifts: if you are good in the kitchen, you can think of something prepared with your own hands. Everyone likes home-made food and it is of immense value.
You can prepare a special cake, jams, vegetables in oil, sauces for croutons, biscuits. Remember to write the contents and ingredients clearly, as well as the day of preparation.
Take good care of the package, with transparent paper, so that it is not left under the tree for days.
TRAVEL VOUCHERS OR WELLNESS PATH
The gift that almost everyone would like to receive is a “voucher” for a holiday. Which one of you is looking forward to the trip? Let your imagination fly – now is the time. If you can, give your loved one a holiday voucher. It will be generic for the date of departure, but it doesn’t have to be generic about the location. Offering a trip to Marrakech has many meanings within it. You can choose holiday packages from agencies, or a voucher for a romantic weekend in that hotel on the Côte d’Azur that you have never allowed yourself.
There are hotels that offer vouchers including a wellness path, salt caves, massages, saunas. Everything “pampering” is ideal this year.
7 IDEAS FOR ‘TASTY AND COSY’ CHRISTMAS GIFTS: SPORTS EQUIPMENT
During the months of forced stoppage and the weeks of lockdown, some people have done online gymnastics and others have binged and lost shape. A few pieces of equipment to get you started again is a good incentive. Perhaps an item of clothing, or look for cross-country racquets, or dumbbells.
Sentirsi sostenuti anche con un regalo nel proprio percorso benessere, è sempre un incentivo.
In addition to presents, you could pick up greetings cards for a select few and send them by post. Around the fireplace or under the tree, a few beautiful snowy postcards will do the trick. It also satisfies the sense of touch.
Happy Christmas preparations to you!
