Senior News Line: Gift giving this year?

A show of hands, please: How many of us are already in a panic about just how we’re going to give holiday gifts to our family and friends this year?

With the costs of everything seeming to go up by the day, how are we going to manage to stretch our budgets to include gifts?

And why do we want to, given our circumstances? Because we always have. Because it’s expected.

Because it makes us feel good. Because we want to maintain the relationships we’ve had.

Whatever our reasons for wanting to give gifts, it’s going to be tough this year. But it can be done with a bit of thought.

If you search on the internet for “gift giving on a budget,” you’ll find thousands of ideas. Most of them seem to fall into one of three categories: experiences, time and love.

A family movie night can be an experience the grandkids long remember. Borrow a selection of age-appropriate movies from the library, make popcorn, buy drinks and order pizza. Or, ask the local bowling alley about a family price for a few hours of lane time.

Then there’s the gift of time. Give a personalized coupon book you’ve made, good for a special outing, a home-cooked meal, gardening help in the spring or hours of childcare.

Best of all might well be the gift of love when you make your gifts: a platter of holiday treats, inexpensive glass jars filled with homemade candies, winter hats you knitted, a small bundle of favorite recipes you’ve printed on 3x5 cards.

The dollar store offers many ideas such as picture frames you decorate and fill with family photos or artwork. Look for items to create themed gift baskets.

So, gift giving can be done — unless this is when you finally decide to say, “I can’t do it this year.”