The Best Kinds of Gifts

I went out to do some last minute Christmas shopping yesterday and the stores were packed.

People rushing, trying to find gifts for their family, friends, coworkers, even the mailman.

Many of them looked frustrated and unhappy.

That made me sad.

This is supposed to be a happy time of year.

Where we spend precious moments with our loved ones, listen to beautiful music, enjoy the warmth of a cozy fireplace and wear our favorite sweaters.

I'll be honest...I don't enjoy the gift-giving part of Christmas.

I would be okay if there were no presents exchanged.

Instead, I'd like all of us to gift each other the joy of new experiences, the creation of life-long memories, and the feeling of warm hugs and laughter.

Two of my very best friends and I just came home from a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas.

Each of us celebrated our 50th birthday in 2025.

We splurged on a two-bedroom suite - because we could and because this was a very special trip.

We had been talking about this for nearly 10 years, every year getting more and more excited at the thought.

Last November, we pulled the trigger.

Booked the cruise.

And spent over a year being excited for it to happen.

Milwaukee snow caused us to start our trip early, with an adventurous overnight stay at the Holiday Inn near the airport.

But we made it.

We boarded that ship, in our matching birthday t-shirts, with only one goal.

To make as many new memories as possible.

This was our gift to each other.

We danced, we laughed, we drank a lot of martinis (some with fun messages in chocolate syrup!), dressed up like flappers and took the ship by storm.

And hopefully brought joy to a few other people on the cruise with us.

I bought a few souvenirs but nothing big.

Material things can't compete with the experiences we shared, the pictures we took, or the memories we made.

Those will last a lifetime and the stories we'll share for generations to come will continue to make us smile.

The best kinds of gifts aren't things we can hold or wear.

They can't be put under a tree or unwrapped.

They are intangible and priceless.

They are the adventures we go on, the places we travel to, and the people we are blessed to enjoy life with.

May your lives be filled with these kinds of gifts.

And your hearts be full because of them.

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