With Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, we are starting to get down to the wire on all that holiday shopping. Shopping for gifts is a big contributor to the stress of the holidays. But it doesn’t have to be. Giving gifts can be enjoyable if you get a little creative.
First of all, you have to think outside the box. Instead of new shoes, why not get your friends and family something that will last them far longer, a memory. For all those special people in your life, get something that the two of you can enjoy together, like a trip, a meal or a special experience.
Trips
Trips as gifts can be big or small, whether you are buying your special someone a weeklong jaunt to Bora Bora or a day trip to Maine or a weekend away in New York, they will love it. A trip is the gift that keeps on giving, because you get to go too!
A new insider’s secret I just discovered is a new way to get to NYC from Boston, LimoLiner. A luxury coach service that goes between Boston and NYC daily, LimoLiner offers some great amenities: like complimentary food and drinks, Wi-Fi and comfortable luxe seating. All those things combined with the convenient schedule makes it a great alternative way to get from point A to point B.
Meals
Like a trip, a meal is something to be enjoyed together. So take your friends out for a tasty meal at a new hotspot instead of hitting up Amazon. In Boston, we have so many amazing restaurants and I just tried The Smoke Shop’s new location in the Seaport. Hearty comfort food like barbeque is perfect for these cold December nights! Chef Andy Husbands certainly knows his way around the smoker; the brisket, ribs and wings are literally finger licking good. And be sure to wash it all down with something from the cocktail menu as well!
Experiences
When we get wrapped up in shopping for gifts, we can often lose sight of all the fun things happening during the holiday season. That combined with busy work schedules around the end of the year and we can miss the fun of the season all together. So if you have a big group to shop for, why not sign everyone up for a group holiday activity instead?
Every city has fun things happening in December, in fact one of the most popular new trends are the Ugly Sweater Runs and parties! They are active and festive, find one near you! We were lucky enough to participate in this one sponsored by Kahlua last weekend at Gillette Stadium! Complete with a whole athlete’s village, the event was a blast. Not only is it a great excuse to get outside this time of year, but you also get to enjoy some tasty adult beverages when you are done and take some goofy photos!
Think outside the box this year and get your loved ones something a little different, trips, meals and experiences are all things that you can enjoy together! Happy holidays and seasons greetings!
