[jumbo_ing_around]

Originally Posted by HappyHunter

Here's my idea for Christmas in a recession - the best gift you can give anyone is TIME.

Gifts are a lovely way of showing love & friendship - but at some stage whatever is given or received breaks, gets worn out, is eaten, is packaged in material that needs to be got rid of or is something that just sits in a corner, unused, or in a cupboard unseen and forgotten.

Spending time with the people you would normally buy some little gift for will give them something which costs nothing but so few people can "afford" because they are always rushing around. Time is something no one can buy, time is priceless.

Weather permitting spend a day going for a walk in a park or a forest area.

Invite people to your home for an afternoon or evening.

Visit elderly family and friends, do something for them that they really need done but are unable to do it themselves.

Whatever way you decide to spend time - the memory lasts forever.

I had to comment.... to expand on this idea you can make up a little book of vouchers on your pc complete with images etc if desired. The vouchers in the above example would read something like:

This voucher entitles the bearer to drag me out for an afternoon walk in xyz area one sunny day.

or

This voucher entitles the bearer to dinner for two any Saturday evening in January at chez moi. Booking required.

You get the idea. Shopping trips... Housework for a day... Ironing etc etc