Hey all! This holiday season I’m going to do twelve blogs that will focus on the true spirit of Christmas, giving, while still embodying the true spirit of A Measured Life: maximum results for minimum cash. This series is going to feature twelve ways you can bring joy to others this holiday season even if you don’t have a lot to spend. I hope you find this series fun and inspirational and try some of the tasks I’ve set out for you. They’re easy, honest!

It’s finally Christmas Eve, you guys, and we’ve reached the final entry in the Twelve Blogs of Christmas. It’s been an exhausting season of long work hours plus parties and food and obligations and time management issues. I haven’t pulled out a single Christmas decoration. 2016 has been an emotional rollercoaster of a year and I’m ready for 2017 to swoop in. This last blog of Christmas may be the hardest one, but it’s by far the most important. I hope you take it to heart.

# 11

On the last blog of Christmas AML posed to me:

Tell one really important person in your life how much they mean to you.

This can be very difficult for me. I find verbalizing how I feel about people to be very difficult, and I won’t say I feel something unless I really mean it. (This makes buying greeting cards incredibly difficult.)

My suggestion is to make it someone that you might not see very often. A friend who pops up just when you need encouragement. Someone who may not be in the forefront but will always have your back.

I can’t tell you the best way to approach it, or if it’s best in letter, text, e-mail or in person. But I can tell you it needs to legitimately come from the heart, because ultimately, Christmas is the time of the heart: sharing time with loved ones and giving to those we care about.

People won’t remember what you did, or the presents you bought for them, but they will remember how you made them feel, so this Christmas, make them feel good.

Also, I’d like to wish my Jewish friends and readers a happy First Day of Hannukah!

May all be healthy and happy this holiday season. 🙂