Even with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I want to find time to make wonderful memories. Some of those memories will just happen by spending time with others, but being intentional is another way to make memories.
Here is my challenge to you. Do one new thing. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Learn how to play a video game or a mobile app game with a child (at 41, I realize quickly how slow my eye hand coordination has become). They will laugh at you, but they can also gain some skills by breaking down a task and coaching you to success. They will feel accomplished and you will feel...well, it's a memory :)
- Cook with someone older than you or with a child. I miss cooking with my grandmother. I didn't really inherit her cooking skills after all the lessons, but I gained a lot of wisdom and perspective. Cooking with my children always teaches me to stop doing so much for them and let them struggle with measurement, learn to follow directions, and learn from mistakes.
- Read out loud to your adult family and/or friends at a gathering. There is something so special about this practice. It might be your favorite Christmas book or a passage from the Bible, but it can be a very memorable experience. You may not remember what it is like to have someone read to you, but I find no matter the age, it just feels right.
- Take a walk in a scenic location with someone (and turn your phone off). Without being tied to your phone, just walk and talk. Do more listening than talking, and bask in the beauty of your surroundings.
- Read anything your heart desires. Stay up late, get lost in the words, lose track of time, and most of all enjoy yourself. Recommend the book to someone you think will love it as much as you did. Think about something new you learned from the book: a new word, a geographical location, a new idea, or a connection you had with the book.
- Write a short note to someone who may have lost a loved one this year. Let them know you are thinking of them. Tell them something you admire about them. List something that was special about the person that passed away. Have a younger person (child, niece, nephew, grandchild, etc...) write a letter too. What a great gift to teach them the lost art of letter writing.
- Pay it forward. One year, my dad took the grand kids and stood in front of the movie theater and handed out Chick Fil A gift cards to random strangers. The kids still talk about it! Great memory maker and service learning tool.
- Visit a nursing home. Play checkers, sing Christmas carols, read out loud, etc... If you have never spent time at a nursing home, it is something you should do. Visitors are like "gold". The residents soak in your entire visit and relish every moment. It is a nice reminder to think outside of our little worlds.
- Serve in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. If you have young kids, start doing this now. So many life skills are embedded in this experience. It truly is humbling and inspiring.
I have some books I've been wanting to read. Hopefully, I'll be getting through most of these and learning something new and useful. Just for fun...when you do something new this holiday season, tweet it with the hashtag #TCSHOLIDAYNEW
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