Prepare our Family Gatherings Idea

As we prepare for our Family Gatherings, it's time to reflect on our memories and to prepare for Christmas and Holiday gifts.  For years, my company has been preparing puzzles for a woman who holds a special place in our hearts, Joan Larson.  While we have never met in person, I look forward to hearing from her in preparation of her family tradition of gathering together for the most unique, heartfelt tradition that I've ever had the privilege to be a part of.  

Here are excerpts from her blog from last November that explains how to truly gift people with lifetime memories.  

"Our family gathers together as it always has – the house full of Christmas spirit. But my creative mind goes beyond giving the surprise gift card envelope. That seems such a lonely thing. I now go wild and have so much fun with the “presentation” part for those young adults and younger still who still act like kids. They are sent scurrying to find “clues” to what their gift really is. Creating high excitement lifts the level of the day.

How The Missing Piece Puzzle Company is part of the tradition

When I am giving “a weekend or longer” getaway gift or something really special, I have found a jigsaw puzzle company in the East (The Missing Piece Puzzle Company, LLC) who excitedly takes my collage design of photos and other clues, and quickly reproduces it to broken-up puzzle form — with the number and age of participants determining for that gift how difficult the puzzle should be. . . and then they send it to me in a beautiful box. (The puzzle company’s owner thinks I am a genius with this idea!!)

The dining room table is cleared of the remnants of turkey dinner, and those involved in that gift may spend considerable time putting that puzzle together to find out what far-out ideas for surprises I have come up with this year. DO try it and I promise your heart will race as well.

Talk about fun . . . this beats excitement all out as the whole family gathers around to cheer.

Holidays were never this good.

So, if you care to, consider my great new way of thinking. Try it out. Less stuff. More experiences. For their sake.  Those you “gift” will always remember you with love. . . as you do them."

See the full blog HERE.