Gifts for the Senses

Titles are tricky. Sometimes I wonder if it is better to title after writing a blog. The initial title of this blog is "Christmas Decor and the First Snow". However, I have been pondering a blog on Christmas gifts and recommendations for the people in your lives, animals and your house. It seems like with Christmas the meaning turns into stress to make, give, spend and show physical gifts. I think some of this stress is so silly and we really could do more with less. I have been asking myself it is even possible to get away with spending nothing but still gifting something meaningful for Christmas? Maybe not and I am wrong and department stores should incarcerate me behind a wall of perfectly stacked towels in non-offensive neutral tones to match with any bathroom!

I am a bit sleepy, nevertheless, here are some random thoughts for gifts for the senses. I was thinking of breaking it down into: Gifts for the Cat in your life:

"Dear Santa"

Other blogs could be: Gifts for your husband, Gifts for the Guy you want to break up with, Gifts for the guy you are interested in but he has questionable hair, Gifts for your Grandma. etc. But let's stick to "Gifts for the senses." I am going to shoot for 6 senses because there is one sense which we all have: our soul.

1. Gifts for sight: A great gift for a human, more than a cat, would be to go to a beautiful place in nature and to look at trees, birds, the sky and wild animals. But if those people are prone to fussing about the cold there are other options. Other such visual gifts would be a visit to a museum (make it free by going to the Smithsonian or using your Bank of America card on the first weekend which makes it free!). Albums: grannys love albums, make a useful one by making a calendar with Shutterfly. Clean under your cabinets! This is such a great gift for yourself! Get that extra junk out! It is such a beautiful gift to open your sink cabinet and have only what you use. The rest? Recycle, delete, erase, donate! For the cat in your life: a brown paper bag is great for them to look at and also meets other senses enjoyment.

2. Gift of touch. This is going to sound corny but start giving hugs! When I lived alone I remember how startled I felt when I had a hug after not being hugged for over a year! So sad! If you are not up to hugging people (I get that), another gift of touch is making something for another.  Make a care package for someone special and give it to a homeless person and tell them you hope they have a great day. Touch by looking someone in the eyes and listening with your heart. And if that talking person is nuts just say a prayer for patience while they talk their heart out.

3. Gift of sound. I am very partial to music but sometimes what we need is pure and clean silence. Give yourself the gift of silence. Turn off your phone, or leave it home. I would reach out and say sit infront of the Eucharist in silence and open your heart in silence. Other good things for silence is looking at flowers and clearing your mind of the noise. Giving people silence can also be a gift. Letting them talk. Not responding so much, or responding softly. Letting silence be a buffer and a gift to both. Silence can be so hard (especially for me!) but when effective is such a beautiful gift. "What did you get me for Christmas?!" I can see someone demanding. Out floats silence with a big red bow. Ha! It might not work but it could definitely be a hidden gift. For the autitory system I would recommend any uplifting music. My current favorite is music by the Daughters of St. Paul who are singing nuns.

I love magnolias. I could be quiet for hours to just watch them.

4. Smell. Buy travel size packs of lavendar shampoo, herbal soap and something else that you find soothing and put it in your luggage. It will be such a treat to find the next time you are hustling to go visit your mother, daughter, that conference you really don't want to go to. Lavender bags are also great to have in between  your towels at home. And last but not least a clean toilet. Treat yourself to totally gutting out your bathroom, cleaning it to a shine and putting in only things that make you happy.

Sniff Sniff. Nibble Nibble

5. Taste: Use your love for flavors to make something for someone who has no idea it is coming. Cook for So Others May Eat (SOME). Our internal needs and our poverty is so small when we make some food for someone we dont know. Collaborate with a group or give it to that man or woman who is always at the traffic light. Making our loved ones favorite dish is also a good gift, especially if it is something time intensive like a good lasagna! But  making food for a brother or sister in this life that we are all experiencing and sharing is also a treat for them as much as it is for the one making it.

6. Soul. We need to take care of our souls as much as we think to take care of our image, career, interests, intellect, friends, relationships. None of those are healthy or easy to manage if our soul is floundering, ignored or in distress. Take some time to open your heart in prayer. It is healing and powerful to stop the internal noise and contemplate in meditation the words of Our Father. How can we build a house if we have no foundation? How can a motor run without oil? How can we breathe without air? Without paying attention to our soul we are empty and searching. Each word of Our Father is comforting in a different way each day. Our: He is for all of us. Father: my guide when I need direction. etc. Let it grow within you. Our weaknesses become more apparent and our need for help more wide as we let Him heal though quiet moments in internal meditative prayer.

Mary is a huge comfort and a mother to asks for intervention. 

Having a connection through prayer comes in handy when life treats you like Daniel in the lions den. No one needs to know if you fee like "Oh, prayer doesn't match with my political views, etc." Just pray. It's your business and God's.