5 Great Holiday Gift Ideas For Your Loved Ones
This past week, I was in New York visiting some of my wonderful affiliates in the ground transportation industry delivering some holiday gifts. Usually when I walk into the entrance of any of the companies I deal with, I am greeted by cards and gifts decorating the lobbies. This year, the lobbies are much barer as companies are cutting employees and expenses.
Simply put, there are far less holiday gifts being sent this year. Taking the extra time to visit your client will make such a favorable impression, especially in these hard times. When you are dealing with giving a business colleague or valued customer a gift, delivering the gift directly to them will be the lasting memory more so than the actual gift.
It's that time of year and whatever holiday you celebrate, that means that you most likely will be running around in a frenzy trying to find great holiday gift ideas for that one person. Holiday gift ideas for your loved ones gets more difficult as you get older. To be honest, most of the time you end not coming up with great holiday gift ideas and end up buying someone a gift certificate to a store and give them the option of buying whatever they want. So, what to buy, what to buy... trust me, my friends, you are not alone in your quandary.
There's an age-old argument about holiday gift ideas, and this is it: is it better to give a material gift or to give your loved one(s) an experience? Study after study on this particular debate and the majority of studies prove that money spent on an "experience" is much more likely to bring happiness and satisfaction than money spent on material things, and I happen to agree.
As an adult, connecting socially and relaxing with good friends are key elements to what makes an experience valuable. So why not give the gift of an "experience" to your loved one(s) as opposed to a gift certificate to a mall store?
Here are five (5) great holiday gift ideas for this holiday, no matter what city you live in:
1. Travel by limousine and sightsee as a couple or with a small group. Cities as small as Medford, NJ and as big as New York City provide great opportunities for a night out with your loved ones, whether it be with the family or a romantic ride in a limousine. Nothing gets you more into the holiday spirit than a festive light show.
2. Plan a weekend getaway. There are so many cool places for a weekend getaway, whether it be locally or faraway. Whether you want to chase the sun and get some warmth for a weekend or explore a new, uncharted territory, a weekend away is a great way to shake the Winter doldrums. I found this great article on cool places to visit that are off the beaten path. The possibilities are endless, so book a weekend trip and add the nice touch of a ride to and from your destination. When you are taking any length vacation, taking a limousine to the airport can literallly make the entire trip worthwhile. While the airport transfer or the ride to and from the airport certainly does not guarantee great weather to your vacation hotspot or weekend getaway, a ride in a limousine or sedan with all the imenities will at least guarantee you a relaxed ride in a spotless and elegant environment with an experienced chauffeur.
3. See a Show, Concert or Sporting Event. Giving the gift of a night out is one way to make this year's holiday even more special. Place the tickets into a small box and watch your loved ones' eyes light up with excitement. In a city like Boston, for example, there are so many great upcoming shows and sporting events on the calendar that can spread the holiday cheer beyond the actual holiday.
4. Plan a Shopping Excursion. We all hate to shop, but it actually can be fun if you take away the driving and bring some friends along.
5. Visit A Long, Lost Loved One or Family Member. Take one for the team and join your loved one and go visit someone you haven't seen in quite awhile. Let someone else do the driving and sit back and give the gift of your company.
In a world full of distractions and deadlines, there really is no gift like the gift of spending time with your loved one or friends. Create a memory this holiday and let us do the driving!
