Listening When You're Lost

When my children were little, we were all a little easier to shop for in our family.  The girls wanted toys of course, and always needed a few winter things, and if any of it was pink and girly, they were happy.  Mr. Bleu and I had very limited income and rarely treated ourselves to the things we wanted since all of our finances were usually relegated to bills and other needful things.  To be honest, I kind of miss that.  Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that we have a little more freedom in our finances, but it's come at the cost of all of us going our separate ways.  

My children are grown or nearly so and they have developed their own senses of style and tastes that I really know little to nothing about so that I am almost paralyzed when trying to choose something for them for Christmas or birthdays.  As far as Mr. Bleu and I, we're kind of at a point where if we want something we may save up for a bit, but then we either go ahead and get it or decide it's not worth it, so there isn't really anything left to be surprised with when the holidays roll around.

My favorite thing about these gift giving holidays is listening to the people I love, usually for months in advance, and then surprising them with that special thing or tickets to an event, etc that they mentioned maybe only in passing or maybe a hundred times.  I love showing them that they are being heard and that I value them enough to listen and try to make their dreams come true.  So, although it's not so easy anymore, I guess that just means I'll have to put in a little extra time, start a few conversations, listen extra closely now that everyone is growing up and changing.    That's just part of it, and I'd rather do the work and show I care, because this is part of the joy of the season and it matters.

You may find that what our loved ones need isn't always a gift under the tree.  Sometimes it's a bill paid, or a hot meal delivered when they're stressed, or a little babysitting while they go do their own holiday shopping.  If, like me, you're feeling the pressure at this time of year and also feeling a little clueless as to how you will show the people in your life you care, don't get discouraged, just listen.  They'll let you know what they need and how you can show them you care.