| I love gifting and there is nothing more | | | | or three of these themes.Tip 3. Homemade |
| exciting than the Christmas holiday season. | | | | Warmth.Ok, you may not have all the time on |
| Gifting should be thoughtful and most of all, | | | | earth to be hand-making all your gifts. But |
| FUN! Here are some tips to show you how I | | | | we are talking about how to really touch your |
| made a 50 year old man weep on Christmas Day | | | | close friends and family on the holiday |
| through my gift Christmas cookie recipes.I | | | | seasons and there is nothing, absolutely |
| baked no less than 50 christmas cookie | | | | nothing, more special than a Christmas |
| packages this holiday season for gifting. Not | | | | handmade gift.Even if you can only take a |
| just because of budgets or lack of ideas but | | | | couple of hours to bake some Christmas |
| because I thought it was the best way to | | | | cookies, these will be the most appreciated |
| spread my love. And to my surprise, an | | | | items that you can give. (Just holiday gift |
| uncle-in-law, someone who I don't know very | | | | shopping can take more time than that |
| very well, was the most touched.It's an | | | | itself!)You don't have to bake or hand-make |
| experience and result that I will never | | | | gifts for every single person, but you taking |
| forget!I didn't know this, but with the tips | | | | a little time out (because it doesn't have to |
| you are about to read below, I touched his | | | | take long at all) will be evident in your |
| heart and made this man feel very special.Tip | | | | gesture.Bake just for your wife, or just for |
| 1. Gesture Counts.Christmas gifting is | | | | your husband, or just for your parents, etc. |
| special. Gesture really counts, and it's not | | | | tells them that they are more special than |
| about the expensive gifts or the brand | | | | anyone in your life.Tip 4. Standout from the |
| names.Don't misjudge your gesture. I made no | | | | rest.Being unique does not have to take too |
| less than 50 small gifts of Christmas cookies | | | | much creativity. If you need inspiration, |
| and never guessed that just one out of them | | | | there is a lot of great information that you |
| all will bring an experience in my life that | | | | can find so quickly and easily online |
| I (and the recipient) will never ever | | | | today.Stand out from the rest and give |
| forget.Think about the people around your | | | | something different. Even if you are giving |
| life. Don't discount anybody. Be positive | | | | the same gift to a particular person and they |
| about everyone in your life.You should never | | | | are receiving the same type of item, by being |
| expect anything in return. Of all Christmas | | | | creative in your thinking, either through a |
| cookies that I baked for the holiday season, | | | | creative add-on to a Christmas cookie recipe, |
| my main worry was whether they would enjoy | | | | or through a color of wrapping, etc. you will |
| them. But because of my gesture and all the | | | | stand out from the rest.Personalizing items |
| steps I took (as stated in this article) it | | | | will guarantee that your gifts standout from |
| surprised me that not only ALL the recipients | | | | all others.Tip 5. Personalize it.Take the |
| loved the cookies, but they were very | | | | time out to personalize your little packages. |
| impressed with the packaging and felt warm | | | | Tag each gift with a handwritten name tag and |
| and loved. Now, isn't that a great Christmas | | | | your Christmas gifts will be remembered and |
| gifting experience?People from all walks of | | | | be appreciated.Think about each recipient's |
| life will enjoy your gesture. Many of my | | | | interests or favorite colors, etc and apply |
| recipients were said to be grumpy, picky, | | | | that in your packaging.It was with the exact |
| snobby, etc. types of people, but I did not | | | | steps above, simple but truly successful, |
| want to exclude anyone. Turns out, even the | | | | that made this 50 year old man weep.You see, |
| picky ones were appreciative of my gift.Tip | | | | he went on to tell me that he has never |
| 2. Good things come in small Packages.You | | | | received any gifts, and one with his name |
| don't have to make large gifts or pack your | | | | handwritten to him, from his family, friends, |
| gift boxes or baskets full of different | | | | co-workers, nor from his own wife in his |
| gifts. Like I said, it's the gesture that | | | | entire life!I was taken back and it touched |
| counts.Think of just a few items that could | | | | me just as much as it touched him.How |
| be special to your recipients in general. For | | | | something so simple, thoughtful and easy has |
| example, one of my cookies in the Christmas | | | | brought people together and made all my |
| package included a "Caramel toasted macadamia | | | | friends, family and network feel so |
| nuts cookie" recipe. I had just come back | | | | special.Isn't that what the holidays are all |
| from a trip to Australia and bought some | | | | about?~* Janlia Chong has held onto her title |
| local macadamia nuts. So, this made the | | | | as Baking Sensation because of her near |
| Christmas cookie recipe special as it was | | | | endless knowledge of baking and packaging |
| from somewhere else and a recipe that I baked | | | | treats. Her ability to impress is one of her |
| up. I could have given each member a souvenir | | | | biggest traits. What's her trick? Simple, she |
| from Australia, but instead, I used just one | | | | takes something that sounds difficult and |
| packet of macadamia nuts and expanded the | | | | makes it easy and fun. Follow Janlia's advice |
| gift by spreading it through my cookie | | | | and you'll be busy baking treats for the |
| gifts.Try to think of any seasonal or popular | | | | entire family. |
| themes in your gifting and just focus on two | | | | |