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Tis the Season… To Shop? To Invest? To Learn?

It’s here…

There are officially 25 shopping days until the Christmas Gift Giving holiday… We have a great tradition at my home in Texas. No gifts. We started this tradition years ago after one year, my cousin and I were frantically wrapped presents (everyone asked us to wrap theirs) and we almost missed Christmas dinner. We all realized as a family that we’d forgotten the real meaning of Christmas and one of those is spending quality time with loved ones celebrating the season.

I stopped spending money on gifts that were just for the point of giving something.

I now give gifts that have meaning and purpose… for example, Jeff & I decided this year to give each other a year-long high level coaching program with a brilliant teacher and marketer that will end up costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s an investment in our own learning and growth and that’s the kind of gift we both want for ourselves and each other. Another thing we are giving ourselves (and the boys) is helping feed homebound seniors on Christmas Eve morning.
It’s well known in marketing that people will find a way to pay (with money or time) for what’s important to them… they will forgo other things. That’s why you see people with fabulous cars or huge big screen televisions while they are living in squalor. Or people who have big dreams whiling away the evenings in front of mindless tv instead of working on their dreams…

What’s important to you..? Shopping for gifts that will be forgotten by January 1 or investing in your own learning (or your childrens) or giving time to people who will truly appreciate it?

That being said, I’ll get off my soapbox for a sec 😉 & for those of you who will be buying presents (and I will be now that I’m in a home with two young boys!) check this out for free shipping coupons to over 1800 stores. Here’s to stimulating the economy and just being clear on knowing what’s important to you.

Posted in Inspiration

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6 Comments

Maritza on November 30, 2009 at 2:56 pm

For some reason, Christmas has always been a time where I invest seriously in learning. Several years ago I invested in Teleseminar Secrets and it changed my life in many ways!

I think it’s because even through all over the holiday craziness, I know January 1 is coming up quickly and I want to be ready to make the next year even better than this one…

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Liz on November 30, 2009 at 4:27 pm

Dear Maritza: as usual I love today’s post. It brings all kinds of disconected thoughts to mind,like:
we all have seen kids get all excited with a beautiful wrapped package and play with the box more than with the content,or
play with the content for a while only to be forgoten a short time later, or
open the box only to complaint that that was not what they wanted.
In the other hand, I think most of us remember the warm fuzzy feeling of the holidays, the reading of the Christmas story,the memories of people sharing and being together and yes! speaking all at the same time. And the feeling of falling sleep, balancing in between I am too excited to fall sleep and I can’t keep my eyes open for one more second. Material things are nice, but what makes the real difference long term in our and our families quality of life is what we give ourselves to grow emotionally and intellectually. Thank you in advance for the great gift that you and Jeff are giving to each other because I know it will percolate to all of your students so in part I feel I’m at the receiving end of your investment. I’m so looking forward to continue growing and learning even more next year. Best regards, Liz

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Marty Richardson on November 30, 2009 at 4:54 pm

Hi Maritza,

Our family chose to do the same many years ago. Although there are only four in our family, my brother and I are usually working in some far off foreign land, so we don’t spend the holiday together. Rather than purchasing gifts to give to each other out of obligation to the holiday, we now give like it was Christmas, when and where the need arises…which has been throughout this entire, challenging year. I wish you and your community all the best for a successful and prosperous New Year. With Love and Appreciation,

Marty

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Carolyn on November 30, 2009 at 6:38 pm

Maritza,
Great post. As a parent I sometimes feel the pressure to buy lots of gifts for my daughter while also helping her to understand that Christmas isn’t about the stuff she gets. When kids are so bombarded with marketing it can be tough for them to understand that the holidays are more about quality time with those they love. I love the fact that you’ll be serving meals for Meals on Wheels and it’s motivated me to contact my local MOW office to see if my daughter and I might do the same on Christmas Eve day. Now, not to be brash but I’m going to plug my shopping website that gives 2% cash back to all that purchase through the site. There’s over 3500 retailers and I know many people are looking for bargains particularly this year. So if I can help people to save money and make holiday shopping easier, then I’ve done something good for someone. The site is http://www.carolynbsullivan.com
Carolyn

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Maritza on November 30, 2009 at 8:26 pm

Liz, Thank you for your comment! Speaking all at the same time… that sounds like the holidays with my fasmily!

Marty, Wow! I love your site so much, you’ve grown so much this year and I look forward to seeing what else you do with video and your amazing recipes & advice!

Carolyn, So great to “see” you again! [and please always feel free to be “brash”] 🙂 I hope your daughter is doing great and please let me know how it goes on your end for serving the meals on Christmas… I wanted to do it with Jeff & his boys because we are truly so blessed and I have an eldery homebound neighbor in San Antonio who I will not be able to visit this year since I’ll be here in Atlanta so I decided to start this tradition with Jeff & his boys (so they can also give back & see just how blessed we ares) and to do in in the name of my neighbor Mr Albrecht.

Hope you all have a great holiday season!

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Angela on December 1, 2009 at 3:22 am

Maritza, love your post. We have a tradition in our family: children under 16 get 3 presents each one. Two for themselves and one to give away. In our business we do Secret Santa where names are pulled out of a hat so each person has to only buy one gift and everyone gets something. It is fun, not expensive and leaves time for paying attention to family and friends and everything that is important. Thanks and best regards, Angela

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