Holiday Gift Giving Basket For The Holidays

Thank you to Cost Plus World Market For Sponsoring This Post

The holidays are upon us and with three kids, for them, it becomes all about, “me, me, me, what is Santa bringing me?” The season can easily turn into the idea of gift giving and receiving for the simple reason that it is the holidays. The meaning gets lost. So, when Cost Plus WorldMarket asked me to create a basket for someone special, I knew exactly who that person was, and, it was someone we had NEVER met before, ever. We all know this person, because we all have someone like her/him on our block…the senior widow who lives alone. She/he is always there, sits at the window, watches the kids go to and from school. We all walk or drive past their house every day and never wave or stop to say hello. Well, not anymore. They deserve more respect and kindness from their neighbors and it will start with my kids. What an amazing moment it was and the numerous connections we ended up having. Why oh why did it take so many years to just stop by? The joy on all of us to hear my kids say, “Happy Holidays, this is a gift basket for you from your neighbors that care about you!” My heart melted cause her reaction was unexpected and I felt blessed to have caught it on video.

Today we are all so rushed, so busy, so stressed that we don’t have 20 minutes to stop and knock on our neighbors door, to just sit and chat and remind them, we are here, just in case of anything, we are here, you are not alone. When she opened the door I saw her eyes light up, of course mine filled with joyful tears, and then without hesitation, or a second thought, she invited us all in to sit. My gosh, today, when someone knocks at my door we stand in the entrance, the age of inviting a stranger (let a alone a friend) in to just sit is long gone. My kids kicked off their shoes and instantly found a spot on the sofa next to her. She said numerous times, “Oh my, this has never happened to me, no one has ever stopped by and given me such a beautiful basket.”

I thought, why did it take me this long and please forgive us. I told her, “we are here, a few doors down and we want you to know we see you, we recognize you and appreciate you.” She couldn’t stop smiling and began to tell us her story. Living alone at the age of 95 and raising her four children in our neighborhood. She told us how she has grandchildren that also play hockey like my boys and played for our local high school, a goal my kids have. I loved how my kids bonded with her over hockey!

She remembers attending those great games and how much she enjoyed raising her kids here. We learned that they went to school with local idols, Charlton Heston and Ann Margaret and, that she played bridge every week with Mrs. Heston. The stories she was telling us. Then, it happened, another connection, 50 years ago she founded and created the preschool all my children attended, and that my youngest now goes too. She told us the story of how she created the preschool and the joy it brought her. She was full of joy seeing the “product/kids” her preschool help create, my three children now in her living room sharing the joy of the holidays. We could have, okay, maybe I could have, stayed there all day talking to her and listening to her stories, but I had a toddler that started to jump off her furniture, and my lovely neighbor had to get dress for her Monday bridge group. But believe me, I not only will be stopping by soon for a cup of tea, but make it a part of our lives to knock on the doors of our seniors and let them know, we are here.

So, I challenge you now, the holidays are here and a basket is a beautiful way to let someone know you appreciate them. I caught stopped recording the video, but, if you could have heard the numerous times she said how beautiful the basket was, literally she loved the actual basket so much. I showed her everything that was inside, items for her to enjoy during the holidays and to share with her grandchildren when they visit and she LOVED the idea.

If you need a little help getting started and putting a basket together. Here are some tips:

Pick a theme, for instance, all red items, or all christmas green items. Then fill your basket with like items. At Cost Plus World Market the make it easy to shop by theme, for instance, Gifts For Her, Gifts For Him, Gifts for the Spa Lover, Gifts for the Gourmet or Cocktail Enthusiast, their list is endless.

I decided on items to get her through the cold weather days when guest might stop by for a cup of tea or the grandchildren come to visit. Plus a couple hand towels and soaps for the guest bath.

Holiday Gift Basket with christmas items #worldmarket @worldmarket www.homewithkeki.com

Red Gift Basket // Red Holiday Ribbon // Holiday Kitchen Towels // Sugared Berry Candles // Comfort and Joy Tea // Peppermint Wafers // Red Velvet Holiday Blend Coffee // Holiday Soaps // Chocolate Santa’s // Holiday Scene Coffee Mug // Chocolat Chaud // Pure Butter Shortbread //

Cost Plus’ baskets comes with everything you need to start, I added ribbon to tie a bow on each handle and then carefully layer the items you purchased.

This holiday season many like to find ways to volunteer and give back with their kids, sometimes, those that need a little holiday cheer are right in front of you, and, it is truly amazing what a gift basket could do. Happy Holidays!

MORE POSTS LIKE THIS