Make Memories in 2018 – Don’t add to your stuff!

Make memories – don’t add to your stuff. Living in 282 square feet for more than three years has taught Robert and me that we don’t need as much stuff as we might believe we do…  but the memories we’ve made over the last years are priceless.

I encourage you and your spouse to think about what you could give to each other, your family and friends that would increase their “memory bank” – not their clutter.

Make Memories in 2018

What gifts could you give to your family, spouse, and friends that are designed to make memories? Try these!

1 – Classes or lessons to learn a new skill.

Ask a few questions to determine if there are any skills your spouse has always wanted to learn but hasn’t taken the time to explore. Consider:

• horse-back riding
• gourmet cooking
• scuba diving, sailing or paddle boarding
• rock climbing or parachuting
• chocolate making
• photography or videography
• flower arranging or pottery making
• yarn or fabric work – knitting, crochet, sewing, weaving, etc.
• sports – golf, tennis, racketball, swimming, kick-boxing etc.
• dance – swing, ballroom, line-dancing, etc.
• computer skills – html, css, website design, etc.
• writing – fiction stories or a book, or a children’s picture book
• gardening – raising vegetables, nurturing orchids or succulents, herbs, etc.
• landscaping – adding a pond, or rock walls, a putting green or orchard to your space
• music – learning an instrument or joining an ensemble, or group to sing
• health and fitness – tai chi, heart-healthy cooking, yoga, lifestyle makeover, etc.

Instead of adding stuff to your space, why not make some memories together while taking a class? You could attend something local or use YouTube or a streaming service!

Grokker is a valuable site with lessons in some of the above areas. Get unlimited Grokker Videos for 14 Days to try it out!

Take it one step further – ask if your children & friends want to join you in making memories!

You don’t need to do these things with only you and your spouse. (Although that’s always fun, too!)  Invite others to join you! We’ve had some really fun times with other couples and their children.

2 – Memberships

What about the gift of regular explorations? Consider memberships at:

• museums, and art galleries
• sports, historical or theme parks
• national or state parks

Having a family membership for a year at a park or museum means you can gather with your family and friends on a regular basis for a low-cost memory-making event. It takes the planning and cost off the table, and just allows you and those you love to explore!

One of the best things we ever did with our children when they were pre-teens was to have a membership to the Ontario Science Center. Another family also bought their year-round membership and though it was an hour away, we’d go exploring monthly. Our children (and the other family’s children) are now adults, but it remains one of their favorite memories. When our son and family visited Canada he even added an excursion to the Science Center to share those memories with his wife and baby boy. Memories are priceless and continue to add to the legacy you leave as parents!

3 – Gift Cards

Now, I’m not talking about the generic Walmart or Target or Amazon gift card… (although everyone does appreciate receiving those too!)

What about a gift card to a movie or a favorite ice cream shop, or to play a round of mini-golf, or bowling? Think about a favorite restaurant or a symphony experience. Make a memory with an event!

Groupon is often a great resource when looking for an event style gift card.

We love to make memories with our adult children and grandboy!

4 – Subscription service for consumable delights!

With this kind of gift think about the five senses – and you can arrange for gifts for more than the holiday season…

• monthly flowers  – delight your spouse with a bouquet of flowers from Bouq’s 

• How about a snack box with new, healthy snacks that are a surprise every month with “Love with Food”! Love with Food helps to discover new organic, all-natural or gluten-free snacks and then delivers it to your door monthly. They also donate a portion of the proceeds to help fight childhood hunger in the US and around the world.

 

• Wine! Rob and I have tried a new startup called Bright Cellars. It’s a wine subscription that helps you learn what kind of wines you like. It alleviates that deer-in-the-headlights feeling when looking at aisles and aisles of wine in the store – we wrote about the idea here.

Here’s a video of our daughter-in-love unboxing our first order!

Increase your memories – not your stuff!

These are just a few ideas for things to give to your loved ones to make memories in 2018. Some of them are affiliate links, which mean Rob and I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Have you tried any other “memory making” experiences that had a great impact?  Leave a comment and share!