Welcome to December's Slim Down

Presence not Presents

Have you been tying yourself in bows and ribbons, wondering what to buy for Christmas presents this year? Agonising over silly socks and sickly sweet smellies? Well, be tangled no more for we have the perfect Do Something Different for December. The 'presence not presents' approach to Crimbletude.

In a NDD office straw poll we hit on the fact that the people we don't spend much time with are the most difficult to buy for. Perhaps that's why dads become trickier customers as we get older? So, is it surprising we deliberate more over those gifts for the folk we rarely see? Not particularly, since it's through contact and personal revelation that friendships deepen and family bonds strengthen. Ultimately, it's easier to pick out perfect presents for those whose company we regularly seek out as we're in tune with their interests and aspirations.

What does surprise us is how we go through the same agonising process each year – often with the same people. And this is where the 'presence not presents' DSD comes in. Why not make a date to do something with, instead of buy something for, someone you just don't get round to seeing enough of? Think about how much more inspiring and loving is the gift of time engaged in something they're into or that's new and interesting to you both? We think we're onto a winner, which is why between us we've already racked up a yoga relaxation day (a mother and daughter-in-law), a west end musical and seafood dinner (hubbie and wife without the baby) and an Indian culinary course (two old university chums). Perhaps doing, not buying something different could be the blast of fresh air a slightly stale relationship needs to be revived….?

How about giving the gift of time to the person who has everything? Elderly relatives, for examples, may love a day's gardening from you, or being taken on a car journey, rather than some gift they're going to shove in a drawer.

Our other radical suggestion for those tricky would-be-recipients is to ditch them altogether! Well, it makes sense if you spend so little time with them anyway. You could save yourself the time, hassle and brass in pocket and put it into the new friendships you're keen to cultivate or the existing relationships you want to keep strong. It's just a thought….

From the forum

Graham, a regular forum contributor, has sent us all a treat in the form of a Do Something Different poem for Christmas. What a star that man is!

Not the Same Old Christmas

Let’s do something different this Christmas
And turn the idea on its head.
Forget that it’s winter, forget that it’s dark –
Have a midsummer frolic instead.
Leave strawberries out for old Santa.
Grandparents, sit under the tree,
Excited by presents, and let children snooze
In the armchairs with nice cups of tea.
It’s to church with you unbelievers
To soak up the carols and chants.
If religious, slip out of your laced up shoes,
Give your inner devil a chance.
What some of us do at midsummer Is to get up and see the sun rise.
It’s still there in winter, so pull on your socks
Go outside and have a surprise!
Make Christmas everyone’s birthday
And give them a big birthday hug
A present of love is a gift from above,
You’ll feel snug as a bug in a rug.
So, do something different this Christmas,
Be original, do it in style,
And once you’ve begun, you’ll find it’s quite fun,
At least, you’ll make somebody smile!

Have a dazzling December and here's a virtual toast to keeping fit and flexible in 2008 with nodietdietway.com.

Very best wishes

The No Diet Diet Way Team