The most important gift is your presence
By Amanda Scali

As we head towards Christmas and all that the season has to offer, you may be doing the last-minute scramble to source the perfect presents for your loved ones.
 
You might have people in your family who are easy to buy gifts for, and then there are those people who are complicated, and it takes ages to source the right gift.
 
Also, Christmas shouldn’t be about putting yourself into debt.
 
What if this year at Christmas we did away from the physical presents and tried to give our presence to our loved ones?
 
Gift your time
 
The most beautiful gift you can give to someone is your time. It is such a rare thing these days to give time. To spend time hanging out with someone, cooking for your parents, or just walking around with a friend exploring some shops or a garden after a lunch date.
 
When was the last time you just spent a day doing not much with one of your friends, family members, etc., who are not in your immediate household?
 
Give the gift of time. It is something that you will never forget.  
 
Give a voucher
 
Are you a good cook? Great at picking hiking spots or crafty? Why not make a voucher for something you can teach someone in your family to do? Cook a meal for someone you love, teach someone a new skill.
 
Again, spending time will be the things people remember. Not the presents.
 
Festive Christmas lunch
 
Another way to do away with gifts is to organise a big fat Christmas lunch where everyone contributes food, a bottle of wine, a dessert and do away with presents altogether.
 
It will make Christmas far less stressful and be more about spending time, breaking bread together and relaxing.
 
You may still want to arrange presents for the kids but keep them to kids only.
 
As we head towards Christmas and all that the season has to offer, you may be doing the last-minute scramble to source the perfect presents for your loved ones.
 
You might have people in your family who are easy to buy gifts for, and then there are those people who are complicated, and it takes ages to source the right gift.
 
Also, Christmas shouldn’t be about putting yourself into debt.
 
What if this year at Christmas we did away from the physical presents and tried to give our presence to our loved ones?
 
Gift your time
 
The most beautiful gift you can give to someone is your time. It is such a rare thing these days to give time. To spend time hanging out with someone, cooking for your parents, or just walking around with a friend exploring some shops or a garden after a lunch date.
 
When was the last time you just spent a day doing not much with one of your friends, family members, etc., who are not in your immediate household?
 
Give the gift of time. It is something that you will never forget.  
 
Give a voucher
 
Are you a good cook? Great at picking hiking spots or crafty? Why not make a voucher for something you can teach someone in your family to do? Cook a meal for someone you love, teach someone a new skill.
 
Again, spending time will be the things people remember. Not the presents.
 
Festive Christmas lunch
 
Another way to do away with gifts is to organise a big fat Christmas lunch where everyone contributes food, a bottle of wine, a dessert and do away with presents altogether.
 
It will make Christmas far less stressful and be more about spending time, breaking bread together and relaxing.
 
You may still want to arrange presents for the kids but keep them to kids only.