‘Shopping’ for that special some one

Anyone who knows me knows that I am an incredibly organised person when it comes to Christmas shopping. I have a very large immediate family; about 15 people to be precise. So I completely empathise with those of who have lists as long as their arms.

Whether it’s your dad, brother or niece, it’s always so difficult to come up with something original year after year and not get stuck in the “oh I’ll just give them some cash or a voucher” rut. How difficult is it for us to buy that special someone something? Do you sit there like me and agonise over what to get to make sure they get the message you want them to receive? I love you to bits, I really like you, I want to marry you and have your babies. What to buy, what to buy? And how much to spend – too much and you’re overeager, too little and you’ve suddenly become the world’s greatest cheapskate.

Here’s an idea – how about not buying something but making something instead? I have come to believe that ideas for Christmas presents should say a lot about how much you listen to the person you’re with and how much you want to show them that you really do want them to have a great time. And I’ve also secretly wanted them to have something to show off about: “You will not believe what she did!!” Etcetera.

If you’re lucky enough to be with someone new this Christmas and you want to get them something that explains to them the extent of the butterflies in your stomach when you meet, how about cooking them something fabulous and giving them a movie-esque time. Give them something they won’t forget. Listen to what they enjoy doing with their free time and then add some oomph to that. If they’re usually stressed and on the verge of various meltdowns due to work, then take them out for a day of relaxation, where you are at their disposal to help them unwind.

Spend the day together somewhere quiet, and give them vouchers you’ve made that they can use throughout the day. One for a foot massage for example. Then top it off with a long, hot shower and get all dolled up and cook them the meal of their lives. If you’re feeling particularly cute and fluffy you can always have a picnic under the Christmas tree with a fire going. If you still want to give them something wrapped – how about a couple of books with subjects they enjoy reading about, or that gadget they’ve been chatting about incessantly. You know; the one that does everything but clean out the pipe in the kitchen sink.

If you’ve been with your partner for a long time and are slowly running out of ideas about what to give them, because, let’s face it – you’ve come up with every single original gift under the sun and there seems to be nothing left, think outside the box. It doesn’t have to be one huge thing, but a lot of little ones. You could re-create the 12 days of Christmas and give them something small that they’ve mentioned throughout the year you’ve been together and end up with the largest present on Christmas day. Make them a photo or video album of all the fun times you’ve had together, or get them small things that they’d never get for themselves but keep saying they need to change. “I need to buy a new wallet, mine’s falling to bits”, or, “I wish they had this in blue, I could use it then” is an idea that comes to mind. You could also decide on something together that you’d like to do; go away for a weekend, do a cooking course together.

Have you been on holiday recently together and they’ve loved a specific type of coffee or food? Or have they not stopped talking about that fabulous Ostrich steak they had in Africa when they went five years ago? See if you can get it delivered to them. I’ve seen the look on people’s faces. The memory associated with that particular object or food just comes flooding back and they love the fact that you’ve listened and remembered.

Whether you’ve been together for a short while, or you’ve seen this person’s face everyday for the last quarter century there’s always something fun or special and different you can do to put a smile on their face this holiday season. It just takes a little more time and effort but the end result is something that makes you feel you’ve done something fabulous when you see that specific smile on their face. You know the one. It’s the “Oh my God you remembered!!”