Life is like a box of Chocolate, Gifting and other thoughts

I love chocolate, I'm a chocoholic, there I'm admitting it again for those who don't know it ~hehehe.   Suddenly, I'm faced with a couple of dilemmas.....where's my life without them uh? I cannot grasp the moments that I face at times.  I'm going to take them head-on and not let the frustrations take me down.  

Yes, that's my plan.  I'm going to look at one problem at a time, take it apart, deal with it, and prayerfully come out with my mouth all messed up and licking my fingers because I'm going to win! What is it dear readers? Was that a bit of an off-the-cuff visual for you?! LOL! I'm not in the mood to be a word-smith at the moment.

So enough about me. I hope you are having a good week?  Christmas season is on top of us, are you ready?  Me neither!  But, don't let it get you down if you're not.  We will be remembering and celebrating the birth of our Lord, so this is a time to rejoice.  Keep that in the back of your consciousness when you get sad.  I will get sad at times because this season was my parents' favorite time of the year.  I miss them both, and will always love them. So there are times when I hear certain songs, or something happens that triggers a memory and I'll tear-up, overcome with the emotion of that memory.  It's a moment that isn't filled with regrets, rather, with love, joy and missing their presence in my life as a grown up.

I was talking to my friend earlier today, a single mom (one of the best out there) and working part-time, she was telling me about watching one of the morning news programs and they were giving ideas on how to gift the people in their viewers lives, like the doorman, the hairstylist, manicurist, the mailman...you get the drift, just about everyone and their mother!  Gifting them, twice what you usually pay for their services, or handing them $100 or more....she couldn't even think about stuff like that because she cannot afford it.  I agreed with her, because I couldn't either!  Then she wondered how she was going to gift the staff at her child's daycare, because there were 5 of them. I suggested for her to buy a box of chocolate, one of those nice ones, and a card and give one gift.  That I'm sure will be appreciated by all.  What do you think?  Was that a good idea?  How else are you going to handle what it is that you can't afford to do?  Your heart is willing to do the most grandest of gestures to show your love and appreciation, but your pocket isn't quite up to par because you're just living day to day and making your life work.  Let me know your thoughts on ways to show your appreciation, be it for family members or friends, or an acquaintance?