Once in awhile, in a brief, fleeting moment of sheepish recognition, my kids will ask, What do you want for Christmas, Mom? My answer—unwavering fealty and obedience—never changes, but since my preferred presents are difficult to wrap, I offer to them, and to you, this helpful roundup of what I, and those like-minded, would like to see under the tree.
Since it’s getting kind of late in the game and you know how I feel about emailed gift cards, feel free to bookmark this list for next year.
WHAT TO GET YOUR FAVORITE LBYMer
Time
You know that old saying, Time is money? Once again … old saying for the win. If you still think it’s kinda crass to give cash, give the gift of time—almost as good as money, if not better. Do you know why the only houses we’ve owned in Madison have been across the street from a school? Because the first year we lived here, our son went to a daycare located about a 20-minute drive from the house we were renting … and in the opposite direction of where my husband worked at the time. At best, it was an hour-long commute.
We did the math—#sorrynotsorry. If we had to keep schlepping them, we were looking at over 2,000 hours of drop-offs and pick-ups … and that just for elementary school.
So, how does one give time? My mother-in-law will occasionally call me up and offer to take our youngest for the morning. Sweet baby Jesus, that is a golden phone call. I will ALWAYS pick that up. Think about what time-consuming, not-so-fun activities might be in your recipient’s life. Childcare? Housecleaning? Lawn mowing? Grocery shopping?
Give something that frees up that time.
Gifts That Keep on Giving
A lot of things fall under this heading. Solar panels. Chickens. Annuities (haaa).
Seriously, one of the best things I ever got was a french fry cutter. My kids love french fries. You can occasionally get a 10-lb bag of russet potatoes for $1.49 and you can always get a bag for twice that. That french fry cutter gets more use than just about everything else in the kitchen. Total time and money saver.
Bonus recipe!
Baked French Fries
- Russet potatoes
- Canola or other mild oil
- Kosher salt
Heat oven to 425. Use best gift ever to cut potatoes into sticks. Toss with oil to coat. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until desired crispness. Add salt to taste.
Something Used
I invited a new friend and her family over for dinner earlier this fall and they brought over a delicious vegetarian stir fry in this big round bowl … and then gave us the bowl. Turns out, she’s a die-hard thrifter, too, and, as such, had purchased this beautiful, useful object for a song. Friends, I love that bowl! I use it all the time, mostly to hold batches of homemade french fries.
Nothing cheers my LBYM heart more than giving and receiving beautiful, useful, pre-loved items. Later that evening, I gave her a shirt I had bought at my favorite thrift store—it wasn’t my size, but it was nice, and I knew it was someone’s size, that someone being my sister from another mister.
I don’t think I could love a new bowl more. When you give me something used, you’re saying, Most people just see a discarded bowl. But you’re smart. You see its real value.
Possibly also, I love you more than the tax deduction for charitable donations.