Christmas is a season of great joy as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior—God’s greatest gift to the world! “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15). One way we celebrate is to give gifts to family and friends. It shows we care for them.
We can give gifts promoting healthier living and perhaps open a door to share the Gospel with lost people. The best gift we can give is to share Jesus with those who do not know Him.
Gift baskets are a great choice because they can be filled with creative and unique items to personalize the gift for the recipient and promote health. Consider what the recipient would enjoy as you create the gift.
Make the container part of the gift. A colander could be the container of items for someone who enjoys pasta. Fill with a variety of whole grain pastas, olive oil and specialty vinegar. Include a garlic press and/or garlic slicer attached to some garlic bulbs in a festive mesh bag, a garlic roaster and a favorite healthful version of a pasta recipe you would like to share. A “loaf of bread” container with Bible verses to be read before meals could also be included.
Consider a breakfast basket for someone who enjoys coffee. Include a decorative personalized coffee mug with a variety of containers of flavored coffee beans and a small coffee grinder. Complete with a morning devotion book and a beautiful book mark.
An attractive teapot and matching teacup with a selection of tea tins and a tea strainer placed in a basket would be appreciated by anyone who enjoys hot tea. Tuck in a journal including Scripture or words of encouragement on each page and an attractive writing pen. Complete the basket with several Christmas ornaments.
A cookbook with healthful and quick-to-prepare recipes, plus a selection of kitchen gadgets that simplify food preparation, would be appreciated by the person with a busy schedule. The container could be an attractive wicker basket to keep gadgets handy on the kitchen counter. A few items to include are an herb cutting tool to simplify chopping fresh herbs, hard-boiled egg slicer, kitchen timer, meat thermometer to be sure meat reaches a safe temperature before serving and a finger guard to prevent cuts when preparing quickly.
Fill an attractive fruit bowl with a variety of fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts in the shell with a nut cracker, small packages of unsalted nuts, trail mixes, bottled fruit juices, various nut butters and whole grain crackers to create a snack basket. The bowl can later be used as a reminder to keep fresh fruit visible on the kitchen cabinet for snacking.
For that person having an interest in being more physically active, consider some type of athletic wear appropriate for exercising. Tuck in a pedometer to measure walking distance. This is a fun way to track progress and develop the habit of walking. There are multiple styles of pedometers and fitness activity trackers.
A gym bag is a great container for items to promote fitness. Possible items to include are a fitness DVD, exercise mat, device for listening to Christian music while exercising, fitness journal, gift card at a favorite athletic store or a membership to a fitness center.
