Doing Gifting Differently: Add the Element of Surprise & Delight

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

-?????? Maya Angelou

There are a lot of ways to say Happy Holidays to a family member or Thank You to a co-worker, client or employee this time of year. When you make gifting unique and memorable, you create an emotional currency with the person. This Maya Angelou quote is a great reminder. ??

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the Fall of 2018, my attitude toward giving —?and much more —?changed drastically. I started to spend more on people’s wedding gifts, birthday gifts and I began sending what I call “surprise and delight” packages to friends, family and colleagues.

When my sister was diagnosed with cancer just a month later, I started sending her surprise and delight packages weekly: a candle, pajamas, perfume, a necklace, a weighted blanket — whatever I thought she’d enjoy at that moment. The picture above is the two of us at her son’s wedding, both of us celebrating our five-year "cancer-versary," the first significant benchmark of survivorship.

Being more liberal with my discretionary spending is a trend I continue today because I learned just how much satisfaction I gain from surprising and delighting those I truly care about with the right, unique gift.

For years, I gave out $2 bills. I gave it to employees with a note that said, “You’re as unique as a $2 bill.” It was about going beyond saying thank you. I say that a lot too, as it can be very powerful. Yes, doing something a little different might cost you time — or $2 — but it’s unique and memorable.

When you give this season and throughout 2024, strive to be different. Sometimes the emotional currency you gain from doing so is better than real currency when it comes to hard-to-reach people like Uncle Irv, who never seems to be happy —?even at Christmas dinner.

Still looking for that small, last-minute gift? Consider the following unique gift ideas that I’ve given out recently:

-?????? A hand-written thank you note, instead of an email or text thank you, written on little cards, or fortune cookie card

-?????? A weighted blanket for the cold months coming

-?????? Quilling cards: roll it up to make it look like crab —?viola, it’s a piece of art

-?????? A gratitude keychain

-?????? FunkOff tooth refreshers – I saw it on SharkTank

When you surprise and delight, the receiver will always remember how you made them feel!

Happy Holidays to all of my co-workers at BMO, across the financial services spectrum and to those of you here on LinkedIn. Let us know what you did this season to surprise and delight those close to you. We are always looking for new ideas! ??

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