Each year it was becoming harder and harder to dream up a unique gift that would please everyone in the family and it was starting to wear on Eva Hartford. No matter how much effort she threw into shopping for individual gifts that were sure to please it seemed that most of her ideas would fall flat and she would just feel discouraged that she had wasted so much time for an unappreciative family that consisted of her husband Ben and her children Matt and Lucy. Eva had decided that this year was going to be different and she called a family meeting to openly discuss ways in which her family could celebrate that would please everyone. She also determined that she was not going to be the person who would be responsible for all of the shopping, wrapping and subsequent returning of the chosen gifts. Much to her surprise, the conversation at this family meeting revealed that Ben, Matt and Lucy unanimously voiced the idea of spending time away as a family as the one and only gift they desired. Without too much time or trouble it was decided that they would find a place in Colorado for a weekend where they could indulge in telluride ski lessons since Matt and Lucy had never had any experience and also engage a telluride ski instructor for Eva and Ben so they could brush up on their skills because it had been so long since they had hit the slopes.

It is not an option for everyone to take a family break at the holidays but there are many ways to vary the usual routine and give the family a much needed burst of yuletide cheer. Some of the best and easiest ways are:

• Shop for underprivileged children: Homeless shelters are full at holiday time with unemployed folks who are down on their luck. seeing their children do without especially during the Christmas holiday. When people “adopt” one of these needy families and provide even the most basic gifts, it can truly bring joy to both the family being helped and the family providing the gifts.

• Anonymously pay for an elderly person’s lunch: A fun and unique way to celebrate the holidays is to seek out someone in a restaurant that you would like to surprise by treating them to a free meal. Then simply ask to pay their check when you are paying for your own food and tell the hostess to explain to them that someone gifted them as a way to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. They will be amazed that a stranger would treat them with such generosity!

• Give to local food banks and charities: This is also the time of year when food bank are purchasing an additional bag of food along with your own and donating it to a community food bank. And if money is short, consider keeping a jar in the kitchen to give your family the opportunity to fill with extra coins and donating that to a charity at the end of the year.