(ARA) – Some say that the spirit of the holidays isn’t what it used to be. The overwhelming task of buying gifts for everyone in the family can make you feel like it’s all about what’s under the tree. This year, when you’re making your gift list, think of presents that inspire treasured memories and create new ones for the future. By giving the gift of memories, you’ll be bringing the true spirit of the holidays back to your celebrations.
The holidays are a time of traditions, from the food that graces the tables to the movies you watch each year to the places you travel to meet family and friends. Rather than running from store to store picking up the latest gadgets and fads, take a few moments to plan out your list based on memories that you’ve shared with each person to whom you’re giving a gift.
Use these ideas as inspiration for giving holiday gifts with a hint of nostalgia.
* Whether it’s the smell of baking cookies that takes you back to wintry days spent in Grandma’s kitchen or the spicy fragrance of cinnamon that brings to mind sipping spiced apple cider around the fireplace, at this time of year, it’s no surprise that smell is the sense most closely tied to memories. Bringing back those memories can be a simple as lighting scented candles from the Yankee Candle Company. The true-to-life fragrance in classic candles like Balsam & Cedar, Christmas Cookie or Sparkling Cinnamon – or even new scents like Holiday Garland or Winter Wonderland – can transport you back to cherished experiences of the past. Whether you light them in your own home or give them as presents to friends and family, Yankee Candles are a great way to give a gift that inspires memories.
* Gathering together to watch holiday movies is a cozy and festive way to celebrate the season, but it can be difficult to get everyone together at the exact time that a movie is going to be aired on television. And the true classics of the season aren’t played in theaters. Give a gift of a group of holiday movie DVDs that have stood the test of time and you’ll bring back memories of past holiday movie get-togethers as well as passing on the tradition to the next generation.
* Photos are one of the best ways to take a quick glimpse into the past. With digital photography’s rise in popularity, the old photo prints of the past often languish in a closet, mostly forgotten. Give them new life by creating a scrapbook of holiday memories, incorporating old photos, holiday cards and letters. If your gift recipient is the crafty type, simply gather all the elements together in a kit and let her create a scrapbook that will be exactly what she wants.
* Everyone treasures the house they grew up in, even long after they’ve moved away. To bring back the memories of growing up and holidays in your first home, commission a portrait of the house you grew up in. It can be created from old photographs, and it makes a wonderful gift for siblings and parents. It’ll be the perfect conversation piece at your holiday celebration – light scented candles that bring to mind the traditions you remember and take the time to let everyone talk about their favorite childhood reminiscences.
Evoking holidays gone by through the gifts you give is a simple way to make the season meaningful. For more ways to bring fond memories of the holidays into your home and give memorable gifts like Yankee Candles, go to www.yankeecandle.com.
