Instagram Message: Happy Holidays from The Patons and the Viking guy with a beard.
Being thoughtful this time of the year is super easy. And during the holidays, giving a pinch or two is a piece of cake. Thoughtfulness naturally occurs when it is the gift-giving season. So writing a thoughtful pinch entry for this week seemed overly redundant. I thought about skipping today’s post but I just couldn’t bear to think of breaking my “43 weeks in a row” writing streak. I’m sure your email inboxes are overstuffed with cyber sales and last minute 24-hour turnaround gifts. It’s just pure selfishness, almost rude of me to fill it with yet another message…
But I have this blog and the reason why I write each week, especially this week, is simple: All of us are thoughtful but from time to time we need to be reminded that thoughtfulness is within each of us every day. My examples of small ways to show thoughtfulness (which I affectionately nicknamed pinches) are meant to inspire. However, I am hoping that most of you already have your own ideas and that you follow the blog because it validates you being you. No matter how you show thoughtfulness, whether it is Pinterest-worthy, Martha Stewart approved or straight out of the book of common sense (i.e. holding the door open for the person behind you) it all boils down to being aware of the people around you.
Here is a thoughtful Pinch to give to your family. A couple of years ago I bought this book off of Amazon to minimize the pressure I put on myself to have these wonderful scrapbooks of our holiday seasons. Nowadays I put a copy of the holiday card we send out each year and then try to answer some of the pre-written questions inside to correspond.
My first entry of our Christmas Book is when I used to print copies of the photo and insert in the sleeves. Ah, the days of having that time to do that! Notice how I skip over the pre-written prompts by sticking the card right over the lines of the book. I started writing the details of the Christmases in 2013 so the pages prior only have a copy of our Christmas cards.
The old saying goes, “It’s not what you give, but the thought that counts.” So true. But I like my updated version better: “Thoughtful gifts happen when you bring awareness to the people around you.” Enjoy the magic of Christmas!
Pinches,
Barb