Great Gift Idea - Tickets

Tickets are a great idea for Christmas because they not only make it exciting when the receiver opens them but they will also be thinking how great you are while they are at the event. When I say tickets I think about sporting events, however there are so many other place that require tickets to get into. Things such as plays, shows, theme parks and even airplanes are great ideas based on the person you are purchasing them for. Make sure to get two tickets at least for each event because no one wants to go to an event alone, and hopefully they will take you with them. Depending on your budget, you could maybe even purchase season tickets to something. That would be a gift that keeps on giving all throughout the season. Taylor you picks to your partner, so don't get them tickets to the opera if they would rather have football tickets. Also make sure it is a time that won't conflict with anything else on their schedule. Reactions from getting tickets are usually comparable to touchdown dances performed on Sunday afternoons.

Too Tired For Your Partner?

I see it so many times -- people are stretched so thin.  They volunteer for everything and have nothing left for the people they love - especially their partners.

If you are too tired to enjoy your relationship when you and your partner have time to be together, then it is time you reevaluate what you are doing. Do you volunteer for the PTO or coach every thing under the sun?  Do you play softball all summer long or have to be involved in every fundraiser in the community? Do you find yourself telling your partner that you are too tired to stay up with him/her during the evening or that you just need to relax and chill during your time together?  If this happens time and again, you seriously need to view this from your partner's perspective.

 How do you think your partner feels if he/she asks you to watch a movie with him/her and you tell him/her you just need some sleep.   Yet, the three nights before you were out raising funds for the humane society, playing a softball game, and attending a committee meeting.  What about passing on a night of intimacy because you have to get up early the next morning to play golf with your friends?These are the type of events that can really hurt a relationship.  Nothing is wrong with doing any of these things, but when you can't make time for your relationship because of them you are not only affecting your partner, but your relationship as a whole.

I am assuming that the two of you are together because you love each other.  With that bond comes the respect that you owe to each other.  Do some planning and figure out the best times for the two of you and then don't let things get in the way of your love.  If you are repeatedly too tired to be with your partner, what you are really saying to him/her is, "Our relationship comes after all these other things I am doing."  Don't be that person.  Put stock in your relationship and move it up on your priority list.  You will be amazed at the difference this can make.

Learn about other cultures this Christmas.

We here in the United States are pretty secure in our view of Christmas so much so that we actually don’t know how other cultures view Christmas. One thing that is hard for me to understand is what do people do that live in warm climates during Christmas. Obviously they don’t go sledding or make snowmen. I think it would be a wonderful thing if the two of you picked a country and did some research on how the celebrate Christmas. Maybe you can pick a place that your ancestors hailed from? Find out what kind of dishes they eat, how the view Santa, what the weather is during the holiday, and traditions that the have handed down from generation to generation. Who knows maybe you will find something you like and start it as a tradition in your house. Try to put some of the culture you learn about into the two of your Christmas this season.

Stealth Wrapping

We all know that certain things come in a certain shape of box. For instance jewelry comes either in those cube style boxes or the long slender ones. DVD's and video game are a distinct box of their own. Even when we were kids we could tell a clothes box from the good stuff. Now if you want to mask your present to throw your partner off track, just mix up these boxes a little. For example if you purchase a necklace for your love grab an old DVD case off the shelf that no one will miss and tape the necklace inside the box. They will most likely guess you got them a new movie instead of the present that they will just adore. Another easy thing to do is to wrap your present inside a larger box. Say you got your love tickets to the next football game then wrap the tickets in a normal size box and then rewrap it in a much larger box. Don't be afraid to throw in sound effects either, things such as marbles, uncooked macaroni, or even rice help throw the person off the trail. Another thing you can do is chance the weight of the present but bricks or rocks inside to make it seem like something that would be heavy. If you object is to large to wrap say like a bike or a sofa a great way to put it into a present is to take a picture of the item and then use the above mentioned ideas to wrap up the picture, then have the item in the garage waiting. Surprise and anticipation is the key to having a wonderful Christmas morning so be sneaky, very very sneaky.

Give, Give, Give....

During this time of season we really think about needy people ones that are in our lives and ones that we know nothing about. Sometimes I tear up hearing about a child that doesn't have enough to eat or that hasn't any parents at this time of year. It's hard enough to make ends meet and get everything done we need to do but can you imagine not even having the means to complete the most basic tasks, like brushing your teeth? I know this holiday I am going to put a little extra effort into giving. Go out and when you pick up your basic needs such as toothpaste, pick up an extra tube and drop it off at the homeless shelter. Cleaning out your closet for new Christmas clothes take them to a place that gives them to the needy. Volunteer you time to help serve dinner at a shelter and make donations to organizations that need funding. This way when you are snuggled up with your sweetheart in your nice warm house you will get an even better feeling by knowing that you helped someone less fortunate. Get your partner involved and your kids if you have any, you won't believe the wonderful feeling it gives you to help someone that is down on their luck. Believe me you will see the appreciation in their eyes. Then don't forget about this feeling the rest of the year.

Make sure when you partner wakes up on Christmas they are just as excited as when they were a kid.

Remember the wonderful feeling when you were a kid and you woke up on Christmas morning. You would run out of bed with your feet barely hitting the floor. Now we might not be able to get each other that excited about Christmas but you can make it a fun festive day for the two of you. If you have any children in the house you shouldn't have any problem. Watching them is excitement enough. If you don't have any children in the house then you need to make plans to have a wonderful day together. Get up early and make a wonderful breakfast together. Then Shower and slip into some warm comfy clothing and exchange gifts. Then you have the rest of the day to enjoy. Maybe a nice walk on Christmas day would be good or relaxing with some hot cocoa might be your thing. If your social creatures invite some friends over to play board games or watch movies. The point of the day is to make it special not like all the other days of the year. Make sure to set some time for the two of you to get a little closer during this wonderful day, make love, snuggle, and sleep in each others arms. Now that my friends is a very Merry Christmas.

Take a Moonlight Drive.

During the Holiday season a very romantic thing to do is to take a late night drive and check out all the Christmas decorations. Only at this time of year will your drive be filled with houses decked out in lights or festive holiday themes. If you check around a bit you might find a local park or zoo that might have a small charge for a wonderful light display. I know just about 20 minutes from our house a park has a light show that is a must see for us and our children every year. Make a little challenge of it and mark you favorites, rate them from best to worst so that next year you can return as most people find this a competition any way. You can usually find the same houses decorated each year if you can remember where they are. Sometimes you will find whole neighborhoods dressed in lights while other times you might just find a diamond in the rough out off a back road. Ask around your friends and sometimes they can lead you to some of the more wonderful light displays. The most wonderful part about this activity is that no matter how big your family is everyone can enjoy it. If it is only the two of you or is you have four kids it can still be just as wonderful listening to them get excited looking for lights.