For the holidays buy your family the gift of time together
There is a solution to a problem many families face every holiday season. Now that the winter holidays have crept up on us we are looking into our wallets and wondering what we can give our family that will be of value emotionally as well as monetarily. This year why not invest in quality time together as a family? With the shaky economy, most families have to choose between conspicuous consumption and family vacations. Others are eliminating the giving of “stuff” altogether and instead giving the gift of a family holiday for the holidays.
Maureen Skelly of Clarksville, Maryland did just that last December. Maureen knew that her children, Sean 14, Kaitlin 11 and Clare 8 had enjoyed their vacation to Medomak Family Camp in Maine the summer before and wanted them to experience reconnecting with each other once again. The kids loved swimming, arts & crafts, land sports, basketball and archery. Maureen enjoyed book club, yoga, massage and long afternoons lounging by the lake. Her husband, Pat, fished, enjoyed Maine beer and cheese and sculling on a pristine lake. Everyone had the opportunity to relive simpler times while participating in activities together. Last Christmas Maureen and Pat offered their children the choice of returning to Medomak or presents under the tree. Without hesitation the kids chose the family vacation. According to Skelly, “It’s about spending quality time together and less about accumulating stuff. It feels more real. For our family reconnecting with each other, making our time spent together count and smart spending are the new golden rules. ”