When all the years of holidays begin to blur together, it is the unique things we remember about each one. One way to make a holiday season truly memorable is by giving or receiving an out-of-the-ordinary gift. The best gifts are ones that cannot be bought or maybe the ones that do not get bought as often. By putting thought and effort into a holiday gift, people can show each other how much they care.
“When I was little, my aunt made me a photo album of me and my cousins,” senior Jennifer Schein said. “It was special because she’d add to it every year and it’s something I can keep forever.”
Handmade gifts are a great go-to idea for anyone with a little artistic ability. They show creativity and originality and are sure to be priceless items to the people receiving them.
“Last year I made a full stationery set for my older sister who loves to write,” junior Megan Alvarado said. “I took a piece of linoleum and carved out a stamp. I went through every individual letterhead and attached flowers and put the stamp on them. I put everything I had made, including letterheads, envelopes, paperclips, the stamp and an inkpad, in a box and wrapped it. She took it to college with her and uses it regularly. She literally stamps everything in sight with the stamp I carved.”
The holiday season is as much about wishing as it is about giving. It is the time of year when people allow themselves to ask for something they have wanted all year or would not normally have a hope of getting. Although the majority of the time people want the typical newest gears and gadgets, some ask for things that are not new and shiny.
“My dad gave his first pocket knife to me for Christmas when I was 10 years old,” junior Jeremy Kilbride said. “It was really special to me because it was my first pocket knife. The fact that it had belonged to my dad for a really long time made it even more special to me. It is something that I will keep for a very long time.”
Holiday gifts do not have to be expensive. Often, the less expensive, more original gifts are the ones people appreciate more.
“The crafts that I do are typically at a lower cost than the ones from stores,” Alvarado said. “Every Christmas I’ll buy one thing and make one thing for each person in my family. They’re always really happy to receive something I put a lot of work into because they see it as an act of love. And that’s what it is.”
What a person asks for and what they give can say a lot about them.
“I think memorable gifts are better than video games or toys because you are more likely to keep them,” Kilbride said. “The fact that my dad didn’t spend any money on the pocket knife didn’t matter to me because I like and used that pocket knife more than any gift I got that Christmas.”
