Making Christmas lists can be such a daunting task, as they just seem to grow longer every year.

You meet new people who have influenced your life in the past year, and you always add them to your list.

Again, just another friendly reminder about the gifts you give. Before recycling, remember this: each gift that bears your name, meaning it is from you, is an extension of you. As you give gifts to those who matter to you most, such as family and close friends, so think of something that best expresses who you are.

A gift is a symbol of who you are, and you are giving part of yourself to someone not because you need to, but because you want to. View it as simply saying “thank you” for being a part of your life this past year. It need not be expensive; it just needs to represent you.

I love giving gifts and love receiving them, like everyone else. So this holiday season, make your gifts a little more meaningful by choosing a special gift for special people that have positively impacted your life.

So before you think of recycling yet another fruitcake, give it a thought. My mom is the only person I know who loves fruitcake and actually looks forward to it on Christmas. And think before you decide to send food of any kind, unless you have lovingly made it yourself or it is truly a specialty item.

Wish you all a happy stressfree shopping adventure; enjoy it rather than looking at it as a task. You will be led to the perfect gift for those that matter to you most.

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