Gifts That Keep On Giving
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
That’s a quote from Buddy the Elf from my favorite Christmas movie, Elf. It’s a small gesture that can have a big impact (as you see later in the film). It got me thinking what are small gifts that we can give cancer patients that can help make a big impact in their lives?
Food service gift cards
I know it’s somewhat taboo to give gift cards as a gift because it’s implied that you didn’t put much thought behind it, but I personally think they’re great. Something that was hard for me while I was going through treatment was making meals for myself, or just eating in general.
Services like Door Dash or Uber Eats are great because you can order whatever you’re in the mood to eat (smoothies included) and it will be delivered right to your home. I think this is a great gift for people because it makes life easier and it takes a lot of pressure off of your loved one.
Audiobook gift cards
In keeping with the gift card theme, audiobooks are awesome! I had trouble sleeping, it took me a while to fall asleep due to discomfort and stay asleep for more than about 3 hours at a time.
One of the things that helped relax me was listening to stories. I like hearing different takes on the classic, Peter Pan. Giving someone the option to listen to thousands of stories helps distract them and gives them a choice (control) over what they want to hear about. Audible also has podcasts you can listen to if that’s more your forte. But there are so many genres to choose from!
Scents
Candles are a great way to help relax too. Aromatherapy is a thing and it can definitely help boost your mood. Someone had given me a Bath and Body Works gift card and I bought several candles online and had them delivered. My favorite by far that I still think about to this day was an Island Margarita candle. It smelled so fruity and good. It immediately made me happy whenever I smelled it. And knowing the intention behind how I received it made me happy too.
If your loved one is afraid of an open flame burning for hours on end (which makes complete sense) Febreze is another good option! It’s easy to spray around the house and lingers long enough to enjoy it but not long enough to make you sick if you find you don’t like the scent. The supply lasts a long time too and is affordable.
There are so many other thoughtful items you can pick up for your loved ones this holiday season but these are a few I know of that have helped me through my time battling cancer.
Do you have any other items that helped you that you would add to the list? Do you disagree with any that I’ve listed? I’d love to hear!
Warm wishes and happy holidays, Katelynn
Community Poll
Have you taken our In America Survey yet?
Join the conversation