WEBVTT - Give experiences

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is that in many cases, experiences can be more

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<v Speaker 1>novel and exciting than things. We often think of gifts

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<v Speaker 1>as objects that are wrapped, but by expanding the universe

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<v Speaker 1>of gifts to consider experiences, we may increase the chances

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<v Speaker 1>of giving someone something they really like. For the past

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<v Speaker 1>few years, my husband and I have given our older

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<v Speaker 1>boys a short trip each year as a big Christmas present.

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<v Speaker 1>For instance, in twenty twenty three, I took my second

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<v Speaker 1>oldest to Acadia National Park. In twenty twenty four, my

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<v Speaker 1>husband took him on a diving trip. In twenty twenty four,

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<v Speaker 1>I took my oldest child to New York City for

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<v Speaker 1>a few days. These were fun for the kids and

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<v Speaker 1>were really good bonding experiences. Sometimes it's hard to get

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of one on one time with a teenage boy,

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<v Speaker 1>but a trip kind of forces the process. I've also

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<v Speaker 1>given my husband the gift of a weekend off to

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<v Speaker 1>go do something fun with his brother. For instance, they

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<v Speaker 1>went skiing for a weekend once. My husband skis with

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<v Speaker 1>our kids a lot, but he was happy for the

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<v Speaker 1>chance to go without worrying about helping someone else into

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<v Speaker 1>a snowsuit. Perhaps you too have someone in your life

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<v Speaker 1>who would enjoy a special experience. You might promise to

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<v Speaker 1>take an older relative out to lunch, into a museum.

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<v Speaker 1>You might take a teenager to a pro sports event

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<v Speaker 1>in a town an hour away. If you are co

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<v Speaker 1>parenting with someone, you could each give each other the

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<v Speaker 1>gift of a weekend or a few days away, available

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<v Speaker 1>for whatever you choose to do within your budget, secure

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<v Speaker 1>that all the childcare and household needs are covered. That

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<v Speaker 1>sounds better to me than a scarf. Little kids do

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<v Speaker 1>like toys, and it's fine to get them those toys.

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<v Speaker 1>But I also heard a great idea the other day

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<v Speaker 1>of giving an elementary school aged child a coupon book

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<v Speaker 1>for lots of different little experiences. These would be things

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<v Speaker 1>like staying up half an hour later or going out

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<v Speaker 1>for ice cream with dad. The child could cash these

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<v Speaker 1>in when they wanted them and enjoy getting those experiences

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<v Speaker 1>over a longer time rather than just on a holiday.

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<v Speaker 1>So as you are thinking about your gift list, see

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<v Speaker 1>if you can add in a few experiences alongside the

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<v Speaker 1>things you are wrapping. And by the way, you can

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<v Speaker 1>definitely wrap an experience. When I gave my husband permission

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<v Speaker 1>to go on that ski trip, I wrapped up a

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<v Speaker 1>pair of doll skis for him. If you are taking

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<v Speaker 1>someone to a concert, you could give them a T

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<v Speaker 1>shirt or other merch from that artist that gives you

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<v Speaker 1>something under the tree and also the knowledge that the

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<v Speaker 1>fun will last, likely long after that tree is gone.

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<v Speaker 1>Experiences can make memories, and those tend not to run

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<v Speaker 1>out of batteries or get broken quite so quickly. In

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<v Speaker 1>the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's

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<v Speaker 1>to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening

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<v Speaker 1>to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback,

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<v Speaker 1>you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts

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<v Speaker 1>from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or

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