Christmas: The Giving Season


The perfect gift that puts a smile on the recipient’s face is not so easy to find. It requires some effort, but the reward is priceless. Giving is truly a blessing, it makes us feel good inside. Its really not how much you spend on a gift, it’s the impact it has on the recipient that matters, like flying lessons, for example, or tickets to a concert that has been sold out for months.

Of course the Holiday season is an especially stressful time for the gift hunters, because normal business life goes on as usual but added to that are the demands of family and friends on your time and attention that is simply overwhelming. So, gift buying is often left to the last minute. Wrong! Never go out with the idea of buying a gift in a few hours. Chances are you will find nothing and the wasted trip will only add to your already elevated stress levels.

I find that even in the middle of a busy work day, one should find time to go for a brisk walk after lunch. I am the sort who scoffs down lunch in four to five minutes flat, something I read once Napoleon Bonaparte recommended as he considered lunch a colossal waste of time. The rest of the lunch break is my time. I walk and I look around everywhere and you would be surprised at what you can find out there on the high street.

I abhor shopping malls. In Dubai people had little choice, but in Lebanon, I like Hamra, I like Burj Hamoud, I like Zalka, I like Mar Elias, because that is where you will find the small shops as opposed to the ubiquitous international brand names.

One great gift idea I found recently is personalized fresh roses. The petals or the leaves of a fresh rose are printed or embossed, I’ not sure of the process, to the customer’s preference. ‘Merry Christmas’ seems to be popular this time of year.

At ‘Speaking Roses’ in Kantari, located to your right as you are heading down towards Hamra Street (just before the Aresco center intersection) you can find the most amazing arrangements. You can pick up a single rose, red, white, yellow, printed with ‘Merry Christmas’ for just $10. It makes a nice secret Santa gift. For more personalized messages and bigger arrangements, you need to give them one day’s notice.

This is gift that is not only suitable for this holiday season but for any occasion. One story the proprietor told me was how a man ordered roses from her shop with the phrase ‘will you marry me’ on the petals, and how the next day his betrothed came in to order the same roses with the words ‘I will’. Its mushy stuff, I know, but it sells like crazy.

Another nice gift idea, for those who are young at heart, is a personalized printed tee-shirt. At ‘All American’ on the corner of Hamra and Sadat streets you have a huge selection to choose from. They print the tee-shirt for you in minutes right then and there. If you have a picture, load it on a USB and take it down to them and they will print it. Or you can choose from witty, tongue in cheek, hilarious prints from their extensive collection.

They have sizes up to 5XL, of course I am not yet as big as that, but the option is there. There is nothing quiet as comforting as an article of clothing that still fits after the holiday season!

Of course there in no gift quiet like that you make yourself, it says you care enough to spend the time and effort to churn out a one off item that will remind the recipient of the gift giver. I suggest chocolate/vanilla Christmas cookies wrapped in cellophane, tied with a red ribbon.

So, don’t get stressed, this is a season to be jolly, not to rack up more debt!

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